Using samples drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we study the relationship between local galaxy density and the properties of galaxies on the red sequence. After removing the mean dependence of average overdensity (or "environment") on color and luminosity, we find that there remains a strong residual trend between luminosity-weighted mean stellar age and environment, such that galaxies with older stellar populations favor regions of higher overdensity relative to galaxies of like color and luminosity (and hence of like stellar mass). Even when excluding galaxies with recent star-formation activity (i.e., younger mean stellar ages) from the sample, we still find a highly significant correlation between stellar age and environment at fixed stellar mass. This residual age-density relation provides direct evidence for an assembly bias on the red sequence such that galaxies in higher-density regions formed earlier than galaxies of similar mass in lower-density environments. We discuss these results in the context of the age-metallicity degeneracy and in comparison to previous studies at low and intermediate redshift. Finally, we consider the potential role of assembly bias in explaining recent results regarding the evolution of post-starburst (or post-quenching) galaxies and the environmental dependence of the type Ia supernova rate.
This paper presents the results of collisional evolution calculations for the Kuiper belt starting from an initial size distribution similar to that produced by accretion simulations of that region - a steep power-law large object size distribution that breaks to a shallower slope at r ~1-2 km, with collisional equilibrium achieved for objects r ~0.5 km. We find that the break from the steep large object power-law causes a divot, or depletion of objects at r ~10-20 km, which in-turn greatly reduces the disruption rate of objects with r> 25-50 km, preserving the steep power-law behavior for objects at this size. Our calculations demonstrate that the roll-over observed in the Kuiper belt size distribution is naturally explained as an edge of a divot in the size distribution; the radius at which the size distribution transitions away from the power-law, and the shape of the divot from our simulations are consistent with the size of the observed roll-over, and size distribution for smaller bodies. Both the kink radius and the radius of the divot center depend on the strength scaling law in the gravity regime for Kuiper belt objects. These simulations suggest that the sky density of r ~1 km objects is ~10^6-10^7 objects per square degree. A detection of the divot in the size distribution would provide a measure of the strength of large Kuiper belt objects, and constrain the shape of the size distribution at the end of accretion in the Kuiper belt.
Direct measurements of the spectra of extrasolar giant planets are the keys to determining their physical and chemical nature. The goal of theory is to provide the tools and context with which such data are understood. It is only by putting spectral observations through the sieve of theory that the promise of exoplanet research can be realized. With the new {\em Spitzer} and HST data of transiting "hot Jupiters," we have now dramatically entered the era of remote sensing. We are probing their atmospheric compositions and temperature profiles, are constraining their atmospheric dynamics, and are investigating their phase light curves. Soon, many non-transiting exoplanets with wide separations (analogs of Jupiter) will be imaged and their light curves and spectra measured. In this paper, we present the basic physics, chemistry, and spectroscopy necessary to model the current direct detections and to develop the more sophisticated theories for both close-in and wide-separation extrasolar giant planets that will be needed in the years to come as exoplanet research accelerates into its future.
Recent observations with Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) show strong unexpected UV excess in the spectrum of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). It is believed that the excess UV signal is produced by old and evolved core-He burning stars, and the UV flux strength could be greatly enhanced if the progenitor stars have high value of He abundance. In this work, we propose that sedimentation process can greatly enhance the He abundance in BCGs. Our model predicts that the UV flux strength is stronger in more massive, low-redshift, and dynamically relaxed BCGs. These predictions are testable with the current generation of GALEX+SDSS observations.
We examine the impact of gas pressure on the transverse coherence of high-redshift (2 <= z <= 4) Lyman-alpha forest absorption along neighboring lines of sight that probe the gas Jeans scale (projected separation Delta r <= 500 kpc/h comoving; angular separation Delta theta <= 30"). We compare predictions from two smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations that have different photoionization heating rates and thus different temperature-density relations in the intergalactic medium (IGM). We also compare spectra computed from the gas distributions to those computed from the pressureless dark matter. The coherence along neighboring sightlines is markedly higher for the hotter, higher pressure simulation, and lower for the dark matter spectra. We quantify this coherence using the flux cross-correlation function and the conditional distribution of flux decrements as a function of transverse and line-of-sight (velocity) separation. Sightlines separated by Delta theta <= 15" are ideal for probing this transverse coherence. Higher pressure decreases the redshift-space anisotropy of the flux correlation function, while higher thermal broadening increases the anisotropy. In contrast to the longitudinal (line-of-sight) structure of the Lya forest, the transverse structure on these scales is dominated by pressure effects rather than thermal broadening. With the rapid recent growth in the number of known close quasar pairs, paired line-of-sight observations offer a promising new route to probe the IGM temperature-density relation and test the unexpectedly high temperatures that have been inferred from single sightline analyses.
We have conducted a search for ionized gas at 3.6 cm, using the Very Large Array, towards 31 Galactic intermediate- and high-mass clumps detected in previous millimeter continuum observations. In the 10 observed fields, 35 HII regions are identified, of which 20 are newly discovered. Many of the HII regions are multiply peaked indicating the presence of a cluster of massive stars. We find that the ionized gas tends to be associated towards the millimeter clumps; of the 31 millimeter clumps observed, 9 of these appear to be physically related to ionized gas, and a further 6 have ionized gas emission within 1'. For clumps with associated ionized gas, the combined mass of the ionizing massive stars is compared to the clump masses to provide an estimate of the instantaneous star formation efficiency. These values range from a few percent to 25%, and have an average of 7 +/- 8%. We also find a correlation between the clump mass and the mass of the ionizing massive stars within it, which is consistent with a power law. This result is comparable to the prediction of star formation by competitive accretion that a power law relationship exists between the mass of the most massive star in a cluster and the total mass of the remaining stars.
Geometrical tests such as the combination of the Hubble parameter H(z) and the angular diameter distance d_A(z) can, in principle, break the degeneracy between the dark energy equation of state parameter w(z), and the spatial curvature Omega_k in a direct, model-independent way. In practice, constraints on these quantities achievable from realistic experiments, such as those to be provided by Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) galaxy surveys in combination with CMB data, can resolve the cosmic confusion between the dark energy equation of state parameter and curvature only statistically and within a parameterized model for w(z). Combining measurements of both H(z) and d_A(z) up to sufficiently high redshifts around z = 2 and employing a parameterization of the redshift evolution of the dark energy equation of state are the keys to resolve the w(z)-Omega_k degeneracy.
Even though the existence of intermediate-mass black holes has not yet been corroborated observationally, these objects are of high interest for astrophysics. Our understanding of formation and evolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), as well as galaxy evolution modeling and cosmography would dramatically change if an IMBH was observed. The prospect of detection and, possibly, observation and characterization of an IMBH has good chances in lower-frequency gravitational-wave (GW) astrophysics with ground-based detectors such as LIGO, Virgo and the future Einstein Telescope (ET). We present an analysis of the signal of a system of a binary of IMBHs based on a waveform model obtained with numerical relativity simulations coupled with post-Newtonian calculations at the highest available order so as to extend the waveform to lower frequencies. We find that initial LIGO and Virgo are in the position of detecting IMBHs with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of $\sim 10$ for systems with total mass between 100 and $500 M_{\odot}$ situated at a distance of 100 Mpc. Nevertheless, the event rate is too low and the possibility that these signals are mistaken with a glitch is, unfortunately, non-negligible. When going to second- and third-generation detectors, such as Advanced LIGO or the proposed ET, the event rate becomes much more promising (tens per year for the first and thousands per year for the latter) and the SNR at 100 Mpc is as high as 100 -- 1000 and 1000 -- $10^{5}$ respectively. The prospects for IMBH detection and characterization with ground-based GW observatories would not only provide us with a robust test of general relativity, but would also corroborate the existence of these systems. Such detections would be a probe to the stellar environments of IMBHs and their formation.
In the low density intergalactic medium (IGM) that gives rise to the Lyman-alpha forest, gas temperature and density are tightly correlated. The velocity scale of thermal broadening and the Hubble flow across the gas Jeans scale are of similar magnitude (Hlambda_J ~ sigma_th). To separate the effects of gas pressure support and thermal broadening on the Lya forest, we compare spectra extracted from two smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations evolved with different photoionization heating rates (and thus different Jeans scales), imposing different temperature-density relations on the evolved particle distributions. The turnover scales in the flux power spectrum and flux autocorrelation function are determined mainly by thermal broadening rather than pressure. However, the insensitivity to pressure arises partly from a cancellation effect with a sloped temperature-density relation (T ~ rho^{0.6} in our simulations): the high density peaks in the colder, lower pressure simulation are less smoothed by pressure support than in the hotter simulation, and it is this higher density gas that experiences the strongest thermal broadening. Changes in thermal broadening and pressure support have comparably important effects on the flux probability distribution (PDF), which responds directly to the gas overdensity distribution rather than the scale on which it is smooth. Tests on a lower resolution simulation show that our statistical results are converged even at this lower resolution. While thermal broadening generally dominates the longitudinal structure in the Lya forest, we show in Paper II that pressure support determines the transverse coherence of the forest observed towards close quasar pairs. [ABRIDGED]
This is a brief sketch of the use of supernovae to measure cosmological parameters. It traces the early work, the events surrounding the discovery and verification of cosmic acceleration using SN Ia, and the efforts today to make sound inferences about the nature of dark energy. The prospects for minimizing systematics by using near-infrared observations in the supernova restframe are emphasized. This could be an important point in the design of a JDEM that employs supernovae to measure the history of cosmic expansion.
We describe and test a new method for creating initial conditions for cosmological N-body dark matter simulations based on second-order Lagrangian perturbation theory (2lpt). The method can be applied to multi-mass particle distributions making it suitable for creating resimulation, or `zoom' initial conditions. By testing against an analytic solution we show that the method works well for a spherically symmetric perturbation with radial features ranging over more than three orders of magnitude in linear scale and eleven orders of magnitude in particle mass. We apply the method and repeat resimulations of the rapid formation of a high mass halo at redshift fifty and the formation of a Milky-Way mass dark matter halo at redshift zero. In both cases we find that many properties of the final halo show a much smaller sensitivity to the start redshift with the 2lpt initial conditions, than simulations started from Zel'dovich initial conditions. For spherical overdense regions structure formation is erroneously delayed in simulations starting from Zel'dovich initial conditions, and we demonstrate for the case of the formation the high redshift halo that this delay can be accounted for using the spherical collapse model. In addition to being more accurate, 2lpt initial conditions allow simulations to start later, saving computer time.
We have been analyzing a large sample of solar-like stars with and without planets in order to homogeneously measure their photospheric parameters and Carbon abundances. Our sample contains around 200 stars in the solar neighborhood observed with the ELODIE spectrograph, for which the observational data are publicly available. We performed spectral synthesis of prominent bands of C$_{2}$ and C I lines, aiming to accurately obtain the C abundances. We intend to contribute homogeneous results to studies that compare elemental abundances in stars with and without known planets. New arguments will be brought forward to the discussion of possible chemical anomalies that have been suggested in the literature, leading us to a better understanding of the planetary formation process. In this work we focus on the C abundances in both stellar groups of our sample.
Much of our understanding of dark matter halos comes from the assumption that the mass-to-light ratio (M/L) of spiral disks is constant. The best way to test this hypothesis is to measure the disk surface mass density directly via the kinematics of old disk stars. To this end, we have used planetary nebulae (PNe) as test particles and have measured the vertical velocity dispersion (sigma_z) throughout the disks of five nearby, low-inclination spiral galaxies: IC 342, M74 (NGC 628), M83 (NGC 5236), M94 (NGC 4736), and M101 (NGC 5457). By using HI to map galactic rotation and the epicyclic approximation to extract sigma_z from the line-of-sight dispersion, we find that, with the lone exception of M101, our disks do have a constant M/L out to ~3 optical scale lengths. However, once outside this radius, sigma_z stops declining and becomes flat with radius. Possible explanations for this behavior include an increase in the disk mass-to-light ratio, an increase in the importance of the thick disk, and heating of the thin disk by halo substructure. We also find that the disks of early type spirals have higher values of M/L and are closer to maximal than the disks of later-type spirals, and that the unseen inner halos of these systems are better fit by pseudo-isothermal laws than by NFW models.
We present blue optical spectra of 92 members of h and chi Per obtained with the WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. From these spectra, several stellar parameters were measured for the B-type stars, including V sin i, T_eff, log g_polar, M_star, and R_star. Stromgren photometry was used to measure T_eff and log g_polar for the Be stars. We also analyze photometric data of cluster members and discuss the near-to-mid IR excesses of Be stars.
Non-radial pulsations (NRPs) are a proposed mechanism for the formation of decretion disks around Be stars and are important tools to study the internal structure of stars. NGC 3766 has an unusually large fraction of transient Be stars, so it is an excellent location to study the formation mechanism of Be star disks. High resolution spectroscopy can reveal line profile variations from NRPs, allowing measurements of both the degree, l, and azimuthal order, m. However, spectroscopic studies require large amounts of time with large telescopes to achieve the necessary high S/N and time domain coverage. On the other hand, multi-color photometry can be performed more easily with small telescopes to measure l only. Here, we present representative light curves of Be stars and non-emitting B stars in NGC 3766 from the CTIO 0.9m telescope in an effort to study NRPs in this cluster.
In this paper we discuss recent applications of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method to the simulation of supersonic turbulence in the interstellar medium, as well as giving an update on recent algorithmic developments in solving the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in SPH. Using high resolution calculations (up to 134 million particles), we find excellent agreement with grid-based results on a range of measures including the power spectrum slope in both the velocity field and the density-weighted velocity rho^(1/3) v, the latter showing a Kolmogorov-like k^-5/3 scaling as proposed by Kritsuk et al. (2007). We also find good agreement on the statistics of the PDF and structure functions, independently confirming the scaling found by Schmidt, Federrath & Klessen (2008). On Smoothed Particle Magnetohydrodynamics (SPMHD) we have recently wasted a great deal of time and effort investigating the vector potential as an alternative to the Euler potentials formulation, in the end concluding that using the vector potential has even more severe problems than the standard (B-field based) SPMHD approach.
Compact elliptical galaxies are characterized by small sizes and high stellar densities. They are thought to form through tidal stripping of massive progenitors. However, only a handful of them were known, preventing us from understanding the role played by this mechanism in galaxy evolution. We present a population of 21 compact elliptical galaxies gathered with the Virtual Observatory. Follow-up spectroscopy and data mining, using high-resolution images and large databases, show that all the galaxies exhibit old metal-rich stellar populations different from those of dwarf elliptical galaxies of similar masses but similar to those of more massive early-type galaxies, supporting the tidal stripping scenario. Their internal properties are reproduced by numerical simulations, which result in compact dynamically hot remnants resembling the galaxies in our sample.
We studied Faraday rotation measure (RM) in turbulent media with the rms Mach number of unity, using isothermal, magnetohydrodynamic turbulence simulations. Four cases with different values of initial plasma beta were considered. Our main findings are as follows. (1) There is no strong correlation between the fluctuations of magnetic field strength and gas density. So the magnetic field strength estimated with RM/DM (DM is the dispersion measure) correctly represents the true mean strength of the magnetic field along the line of sight. (2) The frequency distribution of RMs is well fitted to the Gaussian. In addition, there is a good relation between the width of the distribution of RM/$\bar{\rm RM}$ ($\bar{\rm RM}$ is the average value of RMs) and the strength of the regular field along the line of sight; the width is narrower, if the field strength is stronger. We discussed the implications of our findings in the warm ionized medium where the Mach number of turbulent motions is around unity.
New 12CO J=4-3 and 13CO J=3-2 observations of the N159 region in the Large Magellanic Cloud have been made. The 12CO J=4-3 distribution is separated into three clumps. These new measurements toward the three clumps are used in coupled calculations of molecular rotational excitation and line radiation transfer, along with other transitions of the 12CO as well as the isotope transitions of 13CO. The temperatures and densities are determined to be ~70-80K and ~3x10^3 cm-3 in N159W and N159E and ~30K and ~1.6x10^3 cm-3 in N159S. These results are compared with the star formation activity. The N159E clump is associated with embedded cluster(s) as observed at 24 micron and the derived high temperature is explained as due to the heating by these sources. The N159E clump is likely responsible for a dark lane in a large HII region by the dust extinction. The N159W clump is associated with embedded clusters mainly toward the eastern edge of the clump only. These clusters show offsets of 20"-40" from the 12CO J=4-3 peak and are probably responsible for heating indicated by the derived high temperature. The N159W clump exhibits no sign of star formation toward the 12CO J=4-3 peak position and its western region. We suggest that the N159W peak represents a pre-star-cluster core of ~105M_sol which deserves further detailed studies. Note that recent star formation took place between N159W and N159E as indicated by several star clusters and HII regions, while the natal molecular gas toward the stars have already been dissipated by the ionization and stellar winds of the OB stars. The N159S clump shows little sign of star formation as is consistent with the lower temperature and somewhat lower density. The N159S clump is also a candidate for future star formation.
The Aquarius project is the first simulation that can resolve the full mass range of potential globular cluster formation sites. With a particle mass $m_\mathrm{p}=1.4 \times 10^4$\Msun, Aquarius yields more than 100 million particles within the virial radius of the central halo which has a mass of $1.8 \times 10^{12}$\Msun, similar to that of the Milky Way. With this particle mass, dark matter concentrations (haloes) as small as 10$^6$ M$_\odot$ will contain a minimum of 100 particles.Here, we use this simulation to test a model of metal-poor globular cluster formation based on collapse physics. In our model, globular clusters form when the virial temperatures of haloes first exceed $10^4$ K as this is when electronic transitions allow the gas to cool efficiently. We calculate the ionising flux from the stars in these first clusters and stop the formation of new clusters when all the baryonic gas of the galaxy is ionised. This is achieved by adopting reasonable values for the star formation efficiencies and escape fraction of ionising photons. The model is successful in that it predicts ages (peak age $\sim$ 13.3 Gyrs) and a spatial distribution of metal-poor globular clusters which are consistent with the observed populations in the Milky Way. We then test a scenario of metal-rich cluster formation by examining mergers that trigger star formation within central gas disks. This results in younger ($\sim$ 7--13.3 Gyrs), more centrally-located clusters (40 metal-rich GCs within 18 kpc from the centre of the host) which are consistent with the Galactic metal-rich population. We test an alternate model in which metal-rich globular clusters form in dwarf galaxies that become stripped as they merge with the main halo. We find that this process is inconsistent with observed metal-rich globulars.
In this small review we present the actual state the knowledge about weighting black holes. Black holes can be found in stellar binary systems in our Galaxy and in other nearby galaxies, in globular clusters, which we can see in our and nearby galaxies, and in centres of all well-developed galaxies. Range of values of their masses is wide and cover about ten orders of magnitude (not taking into account the hypothetic primordial black holes). Establishing the presence of black holes, and in particular the measurement of their mass is one on the key issues for many branches of astronomy, from stellar evolution to cosmology.
Collimated supersonic flows in laboratory experiments behave in a similar manner to astrophysical jets provided that radiation, viscosity, and thermal conductivity are unimportant in the laboratory jets, and that the experimental and astrophysical jets share similar dimensionless parameters such as the Mach number and the ratio of the density between the jet and the ambient medium. Laboratory jets can be studied for a variety of initial conditions, arbitrary viewing angles, and different times, attributes especially helpful for interpreting astronomical images where the viewing angle and initial conditions are fixed and the time domain is limited. Experiments are also a powerful way to test numerical fluid codes in a parameter range where the codes must perform well. In this paper we combine images from a series of laboratory experiments of deflected supersonic jets with numerical simulations and new spectral observations of an astrophysical example, the young stellar jet HH 110. The experiments provide key insights into how deflected jets evolve in 3-D, particularly within working surfaces where multiple subsonic shells and filaments form, and along the interface where shocked jet material penetrates into and destroys the obstacle along its path. The experiments also underscore the importance of the viewing angle in determining what an observer will see. The simulations match the experiments so well that we can use the simulated velocity maps to compare the dynamics in the experiment with those implied by the astronomical spectra. The experiments support a model where the observed shock structures in HH 110 form as a result of a pulsed driving source rather than from weak shocks that may arise in the supersonic shear layer between the Mach disk and bow shock of the jet's working surface.
We investigate structures of hybrid stars, which feature quark core surrounded by a hadronic matter mantle, with super-strong toroidal magnetic fields in full general relativity. Modeling the equation of state (EOS) with a first order transition by bridging the MIT bag model for the description of quark matter and the nuclear EOS by Shen et al., we numerically construct thousands of the equilibrium configurations to study the effects of the phase transition. It is found that the appearance of the quark phase can affect distributions of the magnetic fields inside the hybrid stars, making the maximum field strength about up to 30 % larger than for the normal neutron stars. Using the equilibrium configurations, we explore the possible evolutionary paths to the formation of hybrid stars due to the spin-down of magnetized rotating neutron stars. We find that the energy release by the phase transition to the hybrid stars is quite large ($\la 10^{52} \rm erg$) even for super strongly magnetized compact stars. Our results suggest that the strong gravitational-wave emission and the sudden spin-up signature could be observable signals of the QCD phase transition, possibly for a source out to Megaparsec distances.
Transverse stratification is a common intrinsic feature of astrophysical jets. There is growing evidence that jets in radio galaxies consist of a fast low density outflow at the jet axis, surrounded by a slower, denser, extended jet. The inner and outer jet components then have a different origin and launching mechanism, making their effective inertia, magnetization, associated energy flux and angular momentum content different as well. Their interface will develop differential rotation, where disruptions may occur. We here investigate the stability of rotating, two-component relativistic outflows typical for jets in radio galaxies. For this purpose, we parametrically explore the long term evolution of a transverse cross-section of radially stratified jets numerically With grid-adaptive relativistic MHD simulations, augmented with approximate linear stability analysis. We study the influence of dynamically important poloidal magnetic fields, with varying contributions of the inner component jet to the total kinetic energy flux of the jet, on their non-linear azimuthal stability. We demonstrate that two-component jets with high kinetic energy flux, and an inner jet effective inertia which is higher than the outer jet effective inertia are subject to the development of a relativistically enhanced, rotation-induced Rayleigh-Taylor type instability. This instability plays a major role in decelerating the inner jet and the overall jet decollimation. This novel deceleration scenario can partly explain the radio source dichotomy, relating it directly to the efficiency of the central engine in launching the inner jet component. The FRII/FRI transition could then occur when the relative kinetic energy flux of the inner to the outer jet grows beyond a certain treshold.
A detailed analysis of a long XMM-Newton observation of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H0707-495 is presented, including spectral fitting, spectral variability and timing studies. The two main features in the spectrum are the drop at ~ 7 keV and a complex excess below 1 keV. These are well described by two broad, K and L, iron lines. Alternative models based on absorption, although they may fit the high energy drop, cannot account for the 1 keV complexity and the spectrum as a whole. Spectral variability shows that the spectrum is composed of at least two components, which are interpreted as a power-law dominating between 1-4 keV, and a reflection component outside this range. The high count rate at the iron L energies has enabled us to measure a significant soft lag of ~ 30 s between 0.3-1 and 1-4 keV, meaning that the direct hard emission leads the reflected emissions. We interpret the lag as a reverberation signal originating within a few gravitational radii of the black hole.
The role of null-point reconnection in a 3D numerical MHD model of solar emerging flux is investigated. The model consists of a twisted magnetic flux tube rising through a stratified convection zone and atmosphere to interact and reconnect with a horizontal overlying magnetic field in the atmosphere. Null points appear as the reconnection begins and persist throughout the rest of the emergence, where they can be found mostly in the model photosphere and transition region, forming two loose clusters on either side of the emerging flux tube. Up to 26 nulls are present at any one time, and tracking in time shows that there is a total of 305 overall, despite the initial simplicity of the magnetic field configuration. We find evidence for the reality of the nulls in terms of their methods of creation and destruction, their balance of signs, their long lifetimes, and their geometrical stability. We then show that due to the low parallel electric fields associated with the nulls, null-point reconnection is not the main type of magnetic reconnection involved in the interaction of the newly emerged flux with the overlying field. However, the large number of nulls implies that the topological structure of the magnetic field must be very complex and the importance of reconnection along separators or separatrix surfaces for flux emergence cannot be ruled out.
We present the results of new spectral diagnostic investigations applied to high-resolution long-slit spectra of the RW Aur bipolar jet obtained with HST/STIS. The spectra include the forbidden doublets [O I] 6300,6363 \AA, [S II] 6716,6731 \AA, and [N II] 6548, 6583 \AA that we utilized to determine electron density, electron temperature, hydrogen ionisation fraction, total hydrogen density, radial velocity and the mass outflow rate. We were able to extract the parameters as far as 3".9 in the red- and 2".1 in the blueshifted beam. The RW Aur jet appears to be the second densest outflow from a T Tauri star studied so far, but its other properties are quite similar to those found in other jets from young stars. The overall trend of the physical parameters along the first few arcseconds of the RW Aur jet is similar to that of HH 30 and DG Tau and this can reflect analogies in the mechanisms operating in that region, suggesting the same engine is accelerating the jets in the T Tauri stars with outflows. Our study of the RW Aur jet indicates for the first time that, despite the detected marked asymmetries in physical and kinematic properties between the two lobes, the mass outflow rates in the two lobes are similar. This appears to indicate that the central engine has constraining symmetries on both sides of the system, and that the observed asymmetries are probably due to different environmental conditions.
Measuring the B modes of the CMB polarization fluctuations would provide very strong constraints on inflation. The main challenge in this measurement is the treatment of systematic effects. CMB observations with imagers and interferometers, subject to very different systematics, are complementary in this respect. Interferometry provides direct access to the Fourier transform of the sky signal. In bolometric interferometry, the interference pattern produced by the sky through a few hundred horns is imaged on a bolometer array. Several such modules are needed to achieve the required sensitivity. We will describe QUBIC, a merger of the US and European MBI and BRAIN collaborations. QUBIC is a polarized bolometric interferometer to be deployed in 2011-2012.
Supersonic turbulence in molecular clouds is a dominant agent that strongly affects the clouds' evolution and star formation activity. Turbulence may be initiated and maintained by a number of processes, acting at a wide range of physical scales. By examining the dynamical state of molecular clouds, it is possible to assess the primary candidates for how the turbulent energy is injected. The aim of this paper is to constrain the scales at which turbulence is driven in the molecular interstellar medium, by comparing simulated molecular spectral line observations of numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models and molecular spectral line observations of real molecular clouds. We use principal component analysis, applied to both models and observational data, to extract a quantitative measure of the driving scale of turbulence. We find that only models driven at large scales (comparable to, or exceeding, the size of the cloud) are consistent with observations. This result applies also to clouds with little or no internal star formation activity. Astrophysical processes acting on large scales, including supernova-driven turbulence, magnetorotational instability, or spiral shock forcing, are viable candidates for the generation and maintenance of molecular cloud turbulence. Small scale driving by sources internal to molecular clouds, such as outflows, can be important on small scales, but cannot replicate the observed large-scale velocity fluctuations in the molecular interstellar medium.
Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is the supermassive black hole residing at the center of the Milky Way. It has been the main target of an extensive multiwavelength campaign we carried out in April 2007. Herein, we report the detection of a bright flare from the vicinity of the horizon, observed simultaneously in X-rays (XMM/EPIC) and near infrared (VLT/NACO) on April 4th for 1-2 h. For the first time, such an event also benefitted from a soft gamma-rays (INTEGRAL/ISGRI) and mid infrared (VLT/VISIR) coverage, which enabled us to derive upper limits at both ends of the flare spectral energy distribution (SED). We discuss the physical implications of the contemporaneous light curves as well as the SED, in terms of synchrotron, synchrotron self-Compton and external Compton emission processes.
The kinematics of the extra-planar neutral and ionised gas in disc galaxies shows a systematic decline of the rotational velocity with height from the plane (vertical gradient). This feature is not expected for a barotropic gas, whilst it is well reproduced by baroclinic fluid homogeneous models. The problem with the latter is that they require gas temperatures (above $10^5$ K) much higher than the temperatures of the cold and warm components of the extra-planar gas layer. In this paper, we attempt to overcome this problem by describing the extra-planar gas as a system of gas clouds obeying the Jeans equations. In particular, we consider models having the observed extra-planar gas distribution and gravitational potential of the disc galaxy NGC 891: for each model we construct pseudo-data cubes and we compare them with the HI data cube of NGC 891. In all cases the rotational velocity gradients are in qualitative agreement with the observations, but the synthetic and the observed data cubes of NGC 891 show systematic differences that cannot be accommodated by any of the explored models. We conclude that the extra-planar gas in disc galaxies cannot be satisfactorily described by a stationary Jeans-like system of gas clouds.
We developed an iterative technique to better characterize stellar populations and the central activity of barred galaxies using evolutionary synthesis codes and OASIS data. The case of NGC5430 is presented here. Our results are reinforcing the role played by the bar and nuclear structures for the evolution of galaxies.
Spectral data are presented for comets 2006 VZ13 (LINEAR), 2006 K4 (NEAT), 2006 OF2 (Broughton), 2P/Encke, and 93P/Lovas I, obtained with the Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.5-m telescope in August 2007. Comet 2006 VZ13 is a new Oort cloud comet and shows strong lines of CN (3880 angstroms), the Swan band sequence for C_2 (4740, 5160, and 5630 angstroms), C_3 (4056 angstroms), and other faint species. Lines are also identified in the spectra of the other comets. Flux measurements of the CN, C_2 (Delta v = +1,0), and C_3 lines are recorded for each comet and production rates and ratios are derived. When considering the comets as a group, there is a correlation of C_2 and C_3 production with CN, but there is no conclusive evidence that the production rate ratios depend on heliocentric distance. The continuum is also measured, and the dust production and dust-to-gas ratios are calculated. There is a general trend, for the group of comets, between the dust-to-gas ratio and heliocentric distance, but it does not depend on dynamical age or class. Comet 2006 VZ13 is determined to be in the carbon-depleted (or Tempel 1 type) class.
The photometric and spectroscopic observational campaign organized for the 2008/9 eclipse of EE Cep revealed features, which indicate that the eclipsing disk in the EE Cep system has a multi-ring structure. We suggest that the gaps in the disk can be related to the possible planet formation.
At a time when IceCube is nearing completion, we revisit the rationale for constructing kilometer-scale neutrino detectors. We focus on the prospect that such observatories reveal the still-enigmatic sources of cosmic rays. While only a "smoking gun" is missing for the case that the Galactic component of the cosmic-ray spectrum originates in supernova remnants, the origin of the extragalactic component remains a mystery. We speculate on neutrino emission from gamma-ray bursts and active galaxies.
We performed an optical spectroscopic monitoring of the blazar 3C 454.3 from September 2003 to July 2008. Sixteen optical spectra were obtained during different runs, which constitute the first spectroscopic monitoring done in the rest-frame UV region (z=0.859). An overall flux variation of the MgII (2800 A) by a factor ~ 3 was observed, while the corresponding UV continuum (F_cont at 3000 A) changed by a factor ~ 14. The MgII emission lines respond proportionally to the continuum variations when the source is in a low-activity state. In contrast, near the optical outbursts detected in 2005 and 2007, the MgII emission lines showed little response to the continuum flux variations. During the monitored period the UV FeII flux changed by a factor ~ 6 and correlated with F_cont (r = 0.92). A negative correlation between EW(Mg II) and F_cont was found, i.e. the so-called "Intrinsic Baldwin Effect".
The WGLA of the AAS (this http URL) promotes collaboration and exchange of knowledge between astronomy and planetary sciences and the laboratory sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). Laboratory data needs of ongoing and next generation planetary science missions are carefully evaluated and recommended in this white paper submitted by the WGLA to Planetary Decadal Survey.
We present three bright z dropout candidates selected from deep Near-Infrared (NIR) imaging of the COSMOS 2 square degree field. All three objects match the 0.8-8um colors of other published z>7 candidates but are three magnitudes brighter, facilitating further study. Deep spectroscopy of two of the candidates covering 0.64-1.02um with Keck-DEIMOS and all three covering 0.94-1.10um and 1.52-1.80um with Keck-NIRSPEC detects weak spectral features tentatively identified as Ly-alpha at z=6.95 and z=7.69 in two of the objects. The third object is placed at z~1.6 based on a 24um and weak optical detection. A comparison with the spectral energy distributions of known z<7 galaxies, including objects with strong spectral lines, large extinction, and large systematic uncertainties in the photometry yields no objects with similar colors. However, the Lambda>1um properties of all three objects can be matched to optically detected sources with photometric redshifts at z~1.8, so the non-detection in the i and z bands are the primary factors which favors a z>7 solution. If any of these objects are at z~7 the bright end of the luminosity function is significantly higher at z>7 than suggested by previous studies, but consistent within the statistical uncertainty and the dark matter halo distribution. If these objects are at low redshift, the Lyman-Break selection must be contaminated by a previously unknown population of low redshift objects with very strong breaks in their broad band spectral energy distributions and blue J-H colors. The implications of this result on luminosity function evolution at high redshift is discussed. We show that the primary limitation of z>7 galaxy searches with broad filters is the depth of the available optical data.
It is debated whether the Milky Way bulge has the characteristics of a classical bulge sooner than those of a pseudobulge. Detailed abundance studies of bulge stars is a key to investigate the origin, history, and classification of the bulge. The aim is to add to the discussion on the origin of the bulge and to study detailed abundances determined from near-IR spectra for bulge giants already investigated with optical spectra, the latter also providing the stellar parameters which are very significant for the results of the present study. Especially, the important CNO elements are better determined in the near-IR. High-resolution, near-infrared spectra in the H band are recorded using the CRIRES spectrometer on the Very Large Telescope. The CNO abundances can all be determined from the numerous molecular lines in the wavelength range observed. Abundances of the alpha elements are also determined from the near-IR spectra. [O/Fe], [Si/Fe] and [S/Fe] are enhanced up to metallicities of at least [Fe/H]=-0.3, after which they decline. This suggests that the Milky Way bulge experienced a rapid and early star-formation history like that of a classical bulge. However, a similarity between the bulge trend and the trend of the local thick disk seems present. Such a similarity could suggest that the bulge has a pseudobulge origin. Our [C/Fe] trend does not show any increase with [Fe/H] which could have been expected if W-R stars have contributed substantially to the C abundances. No "cosmic scatter" can be traced around our observed abundance trends; the scatter found is expected, given the observational uncertainties.
A second large programme (LP) for the physical studies of TNOs and Centaurs, started at ESO Cerro Paranal on October 2006 to obtain high-quality data, has recently been concluded. In this paper we present the spectra of these pristine bodies obtained in the visible range during the last two semesters of the LP. We investigate the spectral behaviour of the TNOs and Centaurs observed, and we analyse the spectral slopes distribution of the full data set coming from this LP and from the literature. We computed the spectral slope for each observed object, and searched for possible weak absorption features. A statistical analysis was performed on a total sample of 73 TNOs and Centaurs to look for possible correlations between dynamical classes, orbital parameters, and spectral gradient. We obtained new spectra for 28 bodies, 15 of which were observed for the first time. All the new presented spectra are featureless, including 2003 AZ84, for which a faint and broad absorption band possibly attributed to hydrated silicates on its surface has been reported. The data confirm a wide variety of spectral behaviours, with neutral--grey to very red gradients. An analysis of the spectral slopes available from this LP and in the literature for a total sample of 73 Centaurs and TNOs shows that there is a lack of very red objects in the classical population. We present the results of the statistical analysis of the spectral slope distribution versus orbital parameters. In particular, we confirm a strong anticorrelation between spectral slope and orbital inclination for the classical population. A strong correlation is also found between the spectral slope and orbital eccentricity for resonant TNOs, with objects having higher spectral slope values with increasing eccentricity.
The timescale for energy release is an important parameter for constraining the coronal heating mechanism. Observations of "warm" coronal loops (~1 MK) have indicated that the heating is impulsive and that coronal plasma is far from equilibrium. In contrast, observations at higher temperatures (~3 MK) have generally been consistent with steady heating models. Previous observations, however, have not been able to exclude the possibility that the high temperature loops are actually composed of many small scale threads that are in various stages of heating and cooling and only appear to be in equilibrium. With new observations from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and X-ray Telescope (XRT) on Hinode we have the ability to investigate the properties of high temperature coronal plasma in extraordinary detail. We examine the emission in the core of an active region and find three independent lines of evidence for steady heating. We find that the emission observed in XRT is generally steady for hours, with a fluctuation level of approximately 15% in an individual pixel. Furthermore, we find no evidence for warm emission that is spatially correlated with the hot emission, as would be expected if the high temperature loops are the result of impulsive heating. Finally, we also find that intensities in the "moss," the footpoints of high temperature loops, are consistent with steady heating models provided that we account for the local expansion of the loop from the base of transition region to the corona. In combination, these results provide strong evidence that the heating in the core of an active region is effectively steady, that is, the heating occurs on very short timescales relative to the relevant radiative and conductive cooling times.
Locating the exact point of origin of the core radiation in active galactic nuclei (AGN) would represent important progress in our understanding of physical processes in the central engine of these objects. However, due to our inability to resolve the region containing both the central compact object and the jet base, this has so far been difficult. Here, using an analysis in which the lack of resolution does not play a significant role, we demonstrate that it may be impossible even in most radio loud sources for more than a small percentage of the core radiation at radio wavelengths to come from the jet base. We find for 3C279 that $\sim85$ percent of the core flux at 15 GHz must come from a separate, reasonably stable, region that is not part of the jet base, and that then likely radiates at least quasi-isotropically and is centered on the black hole. The long-term stability of this component also suggests that it may originate in a region that extends over many Schwarzschild radii.
In order to investigate when and how the birth of a protostellar core occurs, we made survey observations of four well-studied dense cores in the Taurus molecular cloud using CO transitions in submillimeter bands. We report here the detection of unexpectedly warm (~ 30 - 70 K), extended (radius of ~ 2400 AU), dense (a few times 10^{5} cm^{-3}) gas at the heart of one of the dense cores, L1521F (MC27), within the cold dynamically collapsing components. We argue that the detected warm, extended, dense gas may originate from shock regions caused by collisions between the dynamically collapsing components and outflowing/rotating components within the dense core. We propose a new stage of star formation, "warm-in-cold core stage (WICCS)", i.e., the cold collapsing envelope encases the warm extended dense gas at the center due to the formation of a protostellar core. WICCS would constitutes a missing link in evolution between a cold quiescent starless core and a young protostar in class 0 stage that has a large-scale bipolar outflow.
We discuss various types of exotic (non-standard) singularities in the Universe: a Big-Rip (BR or type I), a Sudden Future Singularity (SFS or type II), a Generalized Sudden Future Singularity, a Finite Scale Factor singularity (FSF or type III), a Big-Separation (BS or type IV) and a $w$-singularity. They are characterized by violation of all or some of the energy conditions which results in a blow-up of all or some of the physical quantities: the scale factor, the energy density, the pressure, and the barotropic index. We relate the emergence of these singularities with physical theories (superstring, brane, higher-order gravity, loop quantum cosmology). We show how the models involving exotic singularities may serve as dark energy by applying the observational data. In particular, we show that some of these exotic singularities (though being of a weak type according to relativistic definitions) may occur in the near future of the universe.
We establish a new model, which takes into account a dynamic (inertial) self-interaction of gravitating systems. The model is formulated by introduction of a new function depending on the square of the covariant derivative of the velocity four-vector of the system as a whole into the Lagrangian. This term is meant for description of both self-action of the system irregularly moving in the gravitational field, and back-reaction of the motion irregularities on the gravity field. We discuss one example of exact solution to the extended master equations in the framework of cosmological model of the FLRW type with vanishing cosmological constant. It is shown that accelerated expansion of the Universe can be driven by traditional matter with positive pressure (e.g., dust, ultrarelativistic fluid) due to the back-reaction of the gravity field induced by irregular motion of the system as a whole; this back-reaction is shown to be characterized by the negative effective pressure.
Cosmological consequences of the noncommutative geometry spectral action are presented. Neglecting the nonminimal coupling of the Higgs field to the curvature, background cosmology remains unchanged, and only the inhomogeneous perturbations will evolve differently from the equivalent classical system. However, considering the nonminimal coupling, corrections will be obtained even at the level of the background cosmologies. Finally, the Higgs field may act as an inflaton field, due to its nonminimal coupling with geometry.
This contribution gives a brief overview of the theoretical ideas underlying our current understanding of the early Universe. Confronting the predictions of the early Universe models with cosmological observations, in particular of the cosmic microwave background fluctuations, will improve our knowledge about the physics of the primordial Universe.
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Recent Halpha surveys such as SHS and IPHAS have improved the completeness of the Galactic planetary nebula (PN) census. We now know of ~3,000 PNe in the Galaxy, but this is far short of most estimates, typically ~25,000 or more for the total population. The size of the Galactic PN population is required to derive an accurate estimate of the chemical enrichment rates of nitrogen, carbon, and helium. In addition, a high PN count (~20,000) is strong evidence that most 1-8 Msun main sequence stars will go through a PN phase, while a low count (<10,000) argues that special conditions (e.g., a close binary interaction) are required to form a PN. We describe a technique for finding hundreds more PNe using the existing data collections of the digital sky surveys, thereby improving the census of Galactic PNe.
Giant planet formation process is still not completely understood. The current most accepted paradigm, the core instability model, explains several observed properties of the solar system's giant planets but, to date, has faced difficulties to account for a formation time shorter than the observational estimates of protoplanetary disks' lifetimes, especially for the cases of Uranus and Neptune. In the context of this model, and considering a recently proposed primordial solar system orbital structure, we performed numerical calculations of giant planet formation. Our results show that if accreted planetesimals follow a size distribution in which most of the mass lies in 30-100 meter sized bodies, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune may have formed according to the nucleated instability scenario. The formation of each planet occurs within the time constraints and they end up with core masses in good agreement with present estimations.
We use N-body simulations to study the effects of tides on the kinematical structure of satellite galaxies orbiting a Milky Way-like potential. Our work is motivated by observations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies in the Local Group, for which often a distinction is possible between a cold centrally concentrated metal rich and a hot, extended metal poor population. We find that an important attenuation of the initial differences in the distribution of the two stellar components occurs for orbits with small pericentric radii (r_per < 20 kpc). This is mainly due to: i) the loss of the gravitational support provided by the dark matter component after tidal stripping takes place, which forces a re-configuration of the luminous components, and ii) tides preferentially affect the more extended stellar component, leading to a net decrease in its velocity dispersion as a response for the mass loss, which thus shrinks the kinematical gap. We apply these ideas to the Sculptor and Carina dwarf spheroidals. Differences in their orbits might help to explain, under the assumption of similar initial configurations, why in the former a clear kinematical separation between metal poor and metal rich stars is apparent, while in Carina this segregation is significantly more subtle.
We summarize our optical monitoring program of VY Scl stars with the SMARTS telescopes, and triggered X-ray as well as optical observations after/during state transitions of V504 Cen and VY Scl.
We construct one-zone steady-state models of cosmic ray (CR) injection, cooling, and escape over the entire dynamic range of the FIR-radio correlation (FRC), from normal galaxies to starbursts, over the redshift interval 0 <= z <= 10. Normal galaxies with low star-formation rates become radio-faint at high z, because Inverse Compton (IC) losses off the CMB cool CR electrons and positrons rapidly, suppressing their nonthermal radio emission. However, we find that this effect occurs at higher redshifts than previously expected, because escape, bremsstrahlung, ionization, and starlight IC losses act to counter this effect and preserve the radio luminosity of galaxies. The radio dimming of star-forming galaxies at high z is not just a simple competition between magnetic field energy density and the CMB energy density; the CMB must also compete with every other loss process. We predict relations for the critical redshift when radio emission is significantly suppressed compared to the z ~ 0 FRC as a function of star-formation rate per unit area. Additionally, we provide a quantitative explanation for the relative radio brightness of some high-z submillimeter galaxies. We show that at fixed star formation rate surface density, galaxies with larger CR scale heights are radio bright with respect to the FRC, because of weaker bremsstrahlung and ionization losses compared to compact starbursts. We predict that these "puffy starbursts" should have steeper radio spectra than compact galaxies with the same star-formation rate surface density. We find that radio bright submillimeter galaxies alone cannot explain the excess radio emission reported by ARCADE2, but they may significantly enhance the diffuse radio background with respect to a naive application of the z ~ 0 FRC.
The Berlin Exoplanet Search Telescope II (BEST II) is a small wide field-of-view photometric survey telescope system located at the Observatorio Cerro Armazones, Chile. The high duty cycle combined with excellent observing conditions and millimagnitude photometric precision makes this instrument suitable for ground based support observations for the CoRoT space mission. Photometric data of the CoRoT LRa02 target field collected between November 2008 and March 2009 were analysed for stellar variability. The presented results will help in the future analysis of the CoRoT data, particularly in additional science programs related to variable stars. BEST II observes selected CoRoT target fields ahead of the space mission. The photometric data acquired are searched for stellar variability, periodic variable stars are identified with time series analysis of the obtained stellar light curves. We obtained the light curves of 104335 stars in the CoRoT LRa02 field over 41 nights. Variability was detected in light curves of 3726 stars of which 350 showed a regular period. These stars are, with the exception of 5 previously known variable stars, new discoveries.
We describe a simple test of the spatial uniformity of an ensemble of discrete events. Given an estimate for the point source luminosity function and an instrumental point spread function (PSF), a robust upper bound on the fractional point source contribution to a diffuse signal can be found. We verify with Monte Carlo tests that the statistic is superior to the two-point correlation function for this purpose, and derive analytic estimates of the statistic's mean and variance as a function of the point source contribution. As a case study, we apply this statistic to recent gamma-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), and demonstrate that at energies above 10 GeV, the contribution of unresolved point sources to the diffuse emission is small in the region relevant for study of the WMAP Haze.
Since planets were first discovered outside our own Solar System in 1992 (around a pulsar) and in 1995 (around a main sequence star), extrasolar planet studies have become one of the most dynamic research fields in astronomy. Now that more than 370 exoplanets have been discovered, focus has moved from finding planets to characterise these alien worlds. As well as detecting the atmospheres of these exoplanets, part of the characterisation process undoubtedly involves the search for extrasolar moons. A review on the current situation of exoplanet characterization is presented in Chapter 3. We focus on the characterization of transiting planets orbiting very close to their parent star since for them we can already probe their atmospheric constituents. By contrast, the second part of the Chapter is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life, both within and beyond the Solar System. The characteristics of the Habitable Zone and the markers for the presence of life (biosignatures) are detailed. In Chapter 4 we describe the primary transit observations of the hot Jupiter HD 209458b we obtained at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 micron using IRAC/Spitzer. Chapter 5 is dedicated to the search for exomoons, we review a model for the TTV and TDV signals which permits not only the identification of exomoons but also the derivation of some of their characteristics. Finally, in Chapter 6 the detectability of a habitable-zone exomoon around various configurations of exoplanetary systems with the Kepler Mission or photometry of approximately equal quality is investigated. We find that habitable-zone exomoons down to 0.2 Earth Masses may be detected.
Laue lenses are an emerging technology based on diffraction in crystals that allows the concentration of soft gamma rays. This kind of optics that works in the 100 keV - 1.5 MeV band can be used to realize an high-sensitivity and high-angular resolution telescope (in a narrow field of view). This paper reviews the recent progresses that have been done in the development of efficient crystals, in the design study and in the modelisation of the answer of Laue lenses. Through the example of a new concept of 20 m focal length lens focusing in the 100 keV - 600 keV band, the performance of a telescope based on a Laue lens is presented. This lens uses the most efficient mosaic crystals in each sub-energy range in order to yield the maximum reflectivity. Imaging capabilities are investigated and shows promising results.
We use the direct Fourier method to calculate the redshift-space power spectrum of the maxBCG cluster catalog -- currently by far the largest existing galaxy cluster sample. The total number of clusters used in our analysis is 12,616. After accounting for the radial smearing effect caused by photometric redshift errors and also introducing a simple treatment for the nonlinear effects, we show that currently favored low matter density "concordance" LCDM cosmology provides a very good fit to the estimated power. Thanks to the large volume (~0.4 h^{-3}Gpc^{3}), high clustering amplitude (linear effective bias parameter b_{eff} ~3x(0.85/sigma_8)), and sufficiently high sampling density (~3x10^{-5} h^{3}Mpc^{-3}) the recovered power spectrum has high enough signal to noise to allow us to find evidence (~2 sigma CL) for the baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO). In case the clusters are additionally weighted by their richness the resulting power spectrum has slightly higher large-scale amplitude and smaller damping on small scales. As a result the confidence level for the BAO detection is somewhat increased: ~2.5 sigma. The ability to detect BAO with relatively small number of clusters is encouraging in the light of several proposed large cluster surveys.
We report the XMM-Newton/EPIC detection in 2008 March of a pair of spatially confused X-ray sources in the vicinity of the enigmatic star V838 Mon, which underwent a spectacular outburst in early 2002. Spectral/spatial analysis demonstrates the presence of a relatively hard (T_X ~ 1.5x10^7K), luminous (L_X ~ 10^32 erg/s) source that is spatially coincident with V838 Mon itself, and a second, more luminous (L_X ~10^33 erg/s) source located ~8" south of V838 Mon (projected separation ~ 0.2pc if at the ~6 kpc distance of V838 Mon). Neither source was detected in a Chandra/ACIS-S observation obtained about one year after outburst. The inferred X-ray luminosity and temperature of the hard source component at the position of V838 Mon, as well as its delayed appearance, appear consistent with a stellar merger scenario for the optical/IR outburst of V838 Mon, and inconsistent with scenarios involving He flash mechanisms. The southern X-ray source component, coincident with a faint red star detected in the 2MASS survey (and in the Hubble images), appears to be an energetically flaring young main sequence or pre-main sequence member of the V838 Mon cluster, in which case its appearance would be coincidental and unrelated to the V838 Mon eruption. Further X-ray observations of V838 Mon are warranted, to confirm the position(s) of the source(s) in the vicinity of V838 Mon and to establish their long- and short-term temporal behavior.
We present the data processing and analysis techniques we are using to determine structural and photometric properties of galaxies in our Gemini/HST Galaxy Cluster Project sample. The goal of this study is to understand cluster galaxy evolution in terms of scaling relations and structural properties of cluster galaxies at redshifts 0.15 < z < 1.0. To derive parameters such as total magnitude, half-light radius, effective surface brightness, and Sersic n, we fit r^{1/4} law and Sersic function 2-D surface brightness profiles to each of the galaxies in our sample. Using simulated galaxies, we test how the assumed profile affects the derived parameters and how the uncertainties affect our Fundamental Plane results. We find that while fitting galaxies which have Sersic index n < 4 with r^{1/4} law profiles systematically overestimates the galaxy radius and flux, the combination of profile parameters that enter the Fundamental Plane has uncertainties that are small. Average systematic offsets and associated random uncertainties in magnitude and log r_e for n > 2 galaxies fitted with r^{1/4} law profiles are -0.1+-0.3 and 0.1+-0.2 respectively. The combination of effective radius and surface brightness, log r_e - \beta log <I>_e, that enters the Fundamental Plane produces offsets smaller than -0.02+-0.10. This systematic error is insignificant and independent of galaxy magnitude or size. A catalog of photometry and surface brightness profile parameters is presented for three of the clusters in our sample, RX J0142.0+2131, RX J0152.7-1357, and RX J1226.9+3332 at redshifts 0.28, 0.83, and 0.89 respectively.
We calculate the orbital evolution of binary systems where the primary star is an evolved red giant branch (RGB) star, while the secondary star is a low mass main sequence (MS) star or a brown dwarf. The evolution starts when a tidal interaction causes the secondary to spiral-in. Either a common envelope (CE) is formed in a very short time, or the system reaches synchronization and the spiraling-in process substantially slows down. Some of these systems later enter a CE phase. We find that for a large parameters space, binary systems reach stable synchronized orbit before the onset of a CE phase. Such stable synchronized orbits allow the RGB star to lose mass prior to the onset of the CE phase. Even after the secondary enters the giant envelope, the rotation velocity is high enough to cause enhanced mass loss rate. Our results imply that it is crucial to include the pre-CE evolution when studying the outcome of the CE phase. Although we have made the calculations for RGB stars, the results have implications for other evolved stars that interact with close companions.
A study on North South (NS) asymmetry of different solar activity features (DSAF) such as solar proton events, solar active prominences, H alpha flare index, soft X ray flares, monthly mean sunspot area and monthly mean sunspot number were carried out from 1996 to 2008. It is found in our result that solar cycle 23 is magnetically weak compared to solar cycle 22. Study shows the Southern dominance of DSAF during the time period of study. During the rising phase of the cycle the numbers of DSAF approximately equal on the North and South Hemisphere. However, these activities tend to shift from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere in between year 1998 to 1999. The statistical significance of the asymmetry time series using a chi square test of goodness of fit indicates that in most of the cases the asymmetry is highly significant, i.e., the asymmetry is a real feature in the NS distribution of DSAF.
The massive post-Main Sequence star W243 in the galactic starburst cluster Westerlund 1 has undergone a spectral transformation from a B2Ia supergiant devoid of emission features in 1981 to an A-type supergiant with a rich emission-line spectrum by 2002/03. We used VLT/UVES and VLT/FLAMES to obtain high-resolution spectra on six epochs in 2003/04 (UVES) and ten epochs in 2008/09 (FLAMES). These spectra are used alongside other VLT/FLAMES and NTT/EMMI spectra to follow the evolution of W243 from 2002 to 2009. W243 displays a complex, time-varying spectrum with emission lines of Hydrogen, Helium and Lyman-pumped metals, forbidden lines of Nitrogen and Iron, and a large number of absorption lines from neutral and singly-ionized metals. Many lines are complex emission/absorption blends. The LBV has a current temperature of ~8500K (spectral type A3Ia+), and displays signs of photospheric pulsations and weak episodic mass loss. Nitrogen is highly overabundant, with Carbon and Oxygen depleted, indicative of surface CNO-processed material and considerable previous mass-loss, although current time-averaged mass-loss rates are low. The emission-line spectrum forms at large radii, when material lost by the LBV in a previous mass-loss event is ionized by an unseen hot companion. Monitoring of the near-infrared spectrum suggests that the star has not changed significantly since it finished evolving to the cool state, close to the Humphreys-Davidson limit, in early 2003. [ABRIDGED]
The presence of electric currents in the atmospheres of magnetic chemically peculiar (mCP) stars could bring important theoretical constrains about the nature and evolution of magnetic field in these stars. The Lorentz force, which results from the interaction between the magnetic field and the induced currents, modifies the atmospheric structure and induces characteristic rotational variability of pressure-sensitive spectroscopic features, that can be analysed using phase-resolved spectroscopic observations. In this work we continue the presentation of results of the magnetic pressure studies in mCP stars focusing on the high-resolution spectroscopic observations of Bp star 56Ari. We have detected a significant variability of the Halpha, Hbeta, and Hgamma spectral lines during full rotation cycle of the star. Then these observations are interpreted in the framework of the model atmosphere analysis, which accounts for the Lorentz force effects. We used the LLmodels stellar model atmosphere code for the calculation of the magnetic pressure effects in the atmosphere of 56Ari taking into account realistic chemistry of the star and accurate computations of the microscopic plasma properties. The Synth3 code was employed to simulate phase-resolved variability of Balmer lines. We demonstrate that the model with the outward-directed Lorentz force in the dipole+quadrupole configuration is likely to reproduce the observed hydrogen lines variation. These results present strong evidences for the presence of non-zero global electric currents in the atmosphere of this early-type magnetic star.
Using the IRAC images from the {\it Spitzer c2d} program, we have made a survey of mid-infrared outflows in the $\rho$ Ophiuchi molecular cloud. Extended objects that have prominent emission in IRAC channel 2 (4.5 \micron) compared to IRAC channel 1 (3.6 \micron) and stand out as green objects in the three-color images (3.6 \micron in blue, 4.5 \micron in green, 8.0 \micron in red) are identified as mid-infrared outflows. As a result, we detected 13 new outflows in the $\rho$ Ophiuchi molecular cloud that have not been previously observed in optical or near-infrared. In addition, at the positions of previously observed HH objects or near-infrared emission, we detected 31 mid-infrared outflows, among which seven correspond to previously observed HH objects and 30 to near-infrared emission. Most of the mid-infrared outflows detected in the $\rho$ Ophiuchi cloud are concentrated in the L1688 dense core region. In combination with the survey results for Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) and millimeter and sub-millimeter sources, the distribution of mid-infrared outflows in the $\rho$ Ophiuchi molecular complex hints a propagation of star formation in the cloud in the direction from the northwest to the southeast as suggested by previous studies of the region.
We study the compact binary population in star clusters, focusing on binaries containing neutron stars and black holes, using a self-consistent Monte Carlo treatment of dynamics and full stellar evolution. We find that the black holes experience strong mass segregation and become centrally concentrated. In the core the black holes interact strongly with each other and black hole-black hole binaries are formed very efficiently. The strong interactions, however, also destroy or eject the black hole-black hole binaries. We find no black hole-black hole mergers within our simulations but produce many hard escapers that will merge in the galactic field within a Hubble time. We also find two highly eccentric black hole-black hole binaries that are potential LISA sources, suggesting that star clusters are interesting targets for space-based detectors. We conclude that star clusters must be taken into account when predicting compact binary population statistics.
NLTE radiative transfer calculations of differentially expanding supernovae atmospheres are computationally intensive and are almost universally performed in time-independent snapshot mode. The validity of the steady-state approximation in the rate equations has recently been questioned. We calculate the effective recombination time of hydrogen in SN II using our general purpose model atmosphere code PHOENIX. While we find that the recombination time for the conditions of SNe II at early times is increased over the classical value for the case of a simple hydrogen model atom with energy levels corresponding to just the first 2 principle quantum numbers, the classical value of the recombination time is recovered in the case of a multi-level hydrogen atom. We also find that the recombination time at most optical depths is smaller in the case of a multi-level atom than for a simple two-level hydrogen atom. We find that time dependence in the rate equations is important in the early epochs of a supernova's lifetime. The changes due to the time dependent rate equation (at constant input luminosity) are manifested in physical parameters such as the level populations which directly affects the spectra. The H-alpha profile is affected by the time dependent rate equations at early times. At later times time dependence does not significantly modify the level populations and therefore the H-alpha profile is roughly independent of whether the steady-state or time-dependent approach is used.
We present new results on X-ray properties of radio loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars and focus on broad-band spectral properties of a high ionization BAL (HiBAL) compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio-loud quasar 1045+352. This HiBAL quasar has a very complex radio morphology indicating either strong interactions between a radio jet and the surrounding interstellar medium or a possible re-start of the jet activity. We detected 1045+352 quasar in a short 5 ksec Chandra ACIS-S observation. We applied theoretical models to explain spectral energy distribution (SED) of 1045+352 and argue that non-thermal, inverse-Compton emission from the innermost parts of the radio jet can account for a large fraction of the observed X-ray emission. In our analysis we also consider a scenario in which the observed X-ray emission from radio-loud BAL quasars can be a sum of inverse-Compton jet X-ray emission and optically thin corona X-ray emission. We compiled a sample of radio-loud BAL quasars that were observed in X-rays to date and report no correlation between their X-ray and radio luminosity. However, the radio-loud BAL quasars show a large range of X-ray luminosities and absorption columns. This is consistent with the results obtained earlier for radio-quiet BAL quasars and may indicate an orientation effect in BAL quasars or more complex dependence between X-ray emission, radio emission and an orientation based on the radio morphology.
Double-peaked [O III]5007, profiles in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) may provide evidence for the existence of dual AGNs, but a good diagnostic for selecting them is currently lacking. Starting from $\sim$ 7000 active galaxies in SDSS DR7, we assemble a sample of 87 type 2 AGNs with double-peaked [O III]5007, profiles. The nuclear obscuration in the type 2 AGNs allows us to determine redshifts of host galaxies through stellar absorption lines. We typically find that one peak is redshifted and another is blueshifted relative to the host galaxy. We find a strong correlation between the ratios of the shifts and the double peak fluxes. The correlation can be naturally explained by the Keplerian relation predicted by models of co-rotating dual AGNs. The current sample statistically favors that most of the [O III] double-peaked sources are dual AGNs and disfavors other explanations, such as rotating disk and outflows. These dual AGNs have a separation distance at $\sim 1$ kpc scale, showing an intermediate phase of merging systems. The appearance of dual AGNs is about $\sim 10^{-2}$, impacting on the current observational deficit of binary supermassive black holes with a probability of $\sim 10^{-4}$ (Boroson & Lauer).
(abridged) An object classified as a galaxy in on-line data bases and revealed on sky survey images as a distant ring galaxy is a rare case of polar ring galaxy where the ring is only slightly inclined to the equatorial plane of the central body. SDSS imaging indicates that the diameter of the ring is about 36 kpc. The SDSS data was combined with long-slit spectroscopic observations and with Fabry-Perot Interferometer H-beta mapping obtained at the Russian Academy of Sciences 6-m telescope. We derived the complex morphologies of this presumed ring galaxy from a combination of SDSS images and from the kinematical behaviour of the central body and of the ring, and determined the stellar population compositions of the two components from SDSS colours, spectroscopy, and evolutionary stellar synthesis models. The ring metallicity is slightly under-abundant. The total luminosity and the total mass of the system are not extreme, but the rather high M/L~20 indicates the presence of large amounts of dark matter. Two alternative explanations of this object are proposed (1) a ring formed by two semi-circular and tight spiral arms at the end of a central bar with a warp or precession of the ring material. The object could, therefore, be explained as an extreme SBa(R) galaxy, or (2) a Polar Ring Galaxy where the inner object is an S0 and the ring is significantly more luminous than the central object. The compound object would then be similar to the NGC 4650A galaxy, being a rare object with a polar component only modestly inclined to the equatorial plane of the central body. Arguments for (and against) both explanations are given and discussed, with the second alternative being more acceptable.
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is intended as the next-generation radio
telescope and will address fundamental questions in astrophysics, physics, and
astrobiology. The international science community has developed a set of Key
Science Programs:
(1) Emerging from the Dark Ages and the Epoch of Reionization,
(2) Galaxy Evolution, Cosmology, and Dark Energy,
(3) The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism,
(4) Strong Field Tests of Gravity Using Pulsars and Black Holes, and
(5) The Cradle of Life/Astrobiology.
In addition, there is a design philosophy of "exploration of the unknown," in
which the objective is to keep the design as flexible as possible to allow for
future discoveries. Both a significant challenge and opportunity for the SKA is
to obtain a significantly wider field of view than has been obtained with radio
telescopes traditionally. Given the breadth of coverage of cosmic magnetism and
galaxy evolution in this conference, I highlight some of the opportunities that
an expanded field of view will present for other Key Science Programs.
Using a parametric approach, we determine the configuration of super-AGB stars at the explosion as a function of the initial mass and metallicity, in order to verify if the EC-SN scenario involving a super-AGB star is compatible with the observations regarding SN2008ha and SN2008S. The results show that both the SNe can be explained in terms of EC-SNe from super-AGB progenitors having a different configuration at the collapse. The impact of these results on the interpretation of other sub-luminous SNe is also discussed.
The F-GAMMA-project is the coordinated effort of several observatories to understand the AGN phenomenon and specifically blazars via multi-frequency monitoring in collaboration with the {\sl Fermi}-GST satellite since January 2007. The core observatories are: the Effelsberg 100-m, the IRAM 30-m and the OVRO 40-m telescope covering the range between 2.6 and 270 GHz. Effelsberg and IRAM stations do a monthly monitoring of the cm to sub-mm radio spectra of 60 selected blazars whereas the OVRO telescope is observing roughly 1200 objects at 15 GHz with a dense sampling of 2 points per week. The calibration uncertainty even at high frequencies, is of a few percent. 47% of the Effelsberg/Pico Veleta sample is included in the LBAS list. An update of the monitored sample is currently underway.
We have performed several simulations in order to test the scientific capabilities of the IXO calorimeter, with particular emphasis on the detection of absorption lines in the 3-11keV band. We derived the flux limits for their detection on several time-scales, compared different response matrices available and simulated realistic spectra from photo-ionized warm absorbers in AGNs. This study illustrates the considerable improvements that this instrument will bring to high resolution spectroscopy, especially related to the study of accretion and outflows in the central regions of AGNs.
The large survey programs being performed nowadays, being the SDSS their flagship, provide us with morphological parameters which allow for extraction of large galaxy samples. We will analyze the methodology for obtaining an AMIGA-like catalogue of isolated galaxies from the SDSS DR5 photometric catalogue of galaxy objects, together with the roadblocks found in the process, and suggested workarounds.
We have collected spectra of about 2000 red giant branch (RGB) stars in 19 Galactic globular clusters (GC) using FLAMES@VLT (about 100 star with GIRAFFE and about 10 with UVES, respectively, in each GC). These observations provide an unprecedented, precise, and homogeneous data-set of Fe abundances in GCs. We use it to study the cosmic scatter of iron and find that, as far as Fe is concerned, most GCs can still be considered mono-metallic, since the upper limit to the scatter in iron is less than 0.05 dex, meaning that the degree of homogeneity is better than 12%. The scatter in Fe we find seems to have a dependence on luminosity, possibly due to the well-known inadequacies of stellar atmospheres for upper-RGB stars and/or to intrinsic variability. It also seems to be correlated with cluster properties, like the mass, indicating a larger scatter in more massive GCs which is likely a (small) true intrinsic scatter. The 19 GCs, covering the metallicity range of the bulk of Galactic GCs, define an accurate and updated metallicity scale. We provide transformation equations for a few existing scales. We also provide new values of [Fe/H], on our scale, for all GCs in the Harris' catalogue.
We report theoretical and experimental results of on-going feasibility studies to detect cosmic neutrinos acoustically in Lake Baikal. In order to examine ambient noise conditions and to develop respective pulse detection techniques a prototype device was created. The device is operating at a depth of 150 m at the site of the Baikal Neutrino Telescope and is capable to detect and classify acoustic signals with different shapes, as well as signals from neutrino-induced showers.
Emission of high energy (HE) photons above 100 MeV that is delayed and lasts much longer than the prompt MeV emission has been detected from several long duration gamma ray bursts (LGRBs) and short hard bursts (SHBs) by the Compton, Fermi and AGILE gamma ray observatories. In this paper we show that the main observed properties of this HE emission are those predicted by the cannonball (CB) model of GRBs: In the CB model all the observed radiations in a GRB are produced by the interaction of a highly relativistic jet of plasmoids (CBs) with the environment. The prompt X-ray and MeV $\gamma$-ray pulses are produced by inverse Compton scattering (ICS) of glory photons -photons scattered/emitted into a cavity created by the wind/ejecta blown from the progenitor star or a companion star long before the GRB- by the thermal electrons in the CBs. A simultaneous optical and high energy emission begins shortly after each MeV pulse when the CB collides with the wind/ejecta, and continues during the deceleration of the CB in the interstellar medium. The optical emission is dominated by synchrotron radiation (SR) from the swept-in and knocked-on electrons which are Fermi accelerated to high energies by the turbulent magnetic fields in the CBs, while ICS of these SR photons dominates the emission of HE photons. The lightcurves of the optical and HE emissions have approximately the same temporal behaviour but have different power-law spectra. The emission of very high energy (VHE) photons above 100 TeV is dominated by the decay of $\pi^0$'s produced in hadronic collisions of Fermi accelerated protons in the CBs. The CB model explains well all the observed radiations, including the high energy radiation from both LGRBs and SHBs as demonstrated here for GRB 090902B and SHB 090510.
Nonlinear evolution of circularly polarized Alfv\'en waves are discussed by using the recently developed Vlasov-MHD code, which is a generalized Landau-fluid model. The numerical results indicate that as far as the nonlinearity in the system is not so large, the Vlasov-MHD model can validly solve time evolution of the Alfv\'enic turbulence both in the linear and nonlinear stages. The present Vlasov-MHD model is proper to discuss the solar coronal heating and solar wind acceleration by Alfve\'n waves propagating from the photosphere.
Accurate transition probabilities for forbidden lines are important
diagnostic parameters for low-density astrophysical plasmas. In this paper we
present experimental atomic data for forbidden [FeII] transitions that are
observed as strong features in astrophysical spectra.
Aims: To measure lifetimes for the 3d^6(^3G)4s a ^4G_{11/2} and 3d^6(^3D)4s b
^4D_{1/2} metastable levels in FeII and experimental transition probabilities
for the forbidden transitions 3d^7 a ^4F_{7/2,9/2}- 3d^6(^3G)4s a ^4G_{11/2}.
Methods: The lifetimes were measured at the ion storage ring facility CRYRING
using a laser probing technique. Astrophysical branching fractions were
obtained from spectra of Eta Carinae, obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The lifetimes and branching
fractions were combined to yield absolute transition probabilities.
Results: The lifetimes of the a ^4G_{11/2} and the b ^4D_{1/2} levels have
been measured and have the following values, 0.75(10) s and 0.54(3) s
respectively. Furthermore, we have determined the transition probabilities for
two forbidden transitions of a ^4F_{7/2,9/2}- a ^4G_{11/2} at 4243.97 and
4346.85 A. Both the lifetimes and the transition probabilities are compared to
calculated values in the literature.
Infrared spectroscopy of the H-alpha emission lines of a sub-sample of 19 high-redshift (0.8 < z < 2.3) Molonglo quasars, selected at 408 MHz, is presented. These emission lines are fitted with composite models of broad and narrow emission, which include combinations of classical broad-line regions of fast-moving gas clouds lying outside the quasar nucleus, and/or a theoretical model of emission from an optically-thick, flattened, rotating accretion disk. All bar one of the nineteen sources are found to have emission consistent with the presence of an optically-emitting accretion disk, with the exception appearing to display complex emission including at least three broad components. Ten of the quasars have strong Bayesian evidence for broad-line emission arising from an accretion disk together with a standard broad-line region, selected in preference to a model with two simple broad lines. Thus the best explanation for the complexity required to fit the broad H-alpha lines in this sample is optical emission from an accretion disk in addition to a region of fast-moving clouds. We derive estimates of the angle between the rotation axis of the accretion disk and the line of sight. A weak correlation is found between the accretion disk angle and the logarithm of the low-frequency radio luminosity. This is direct, albeit tenuous, evidence for the receding torus model. Velocity shifts of the broad H-alpha components are analysed and the results found to be consistent with a two-component model comprising one single-peaked broad line emitted at the same redshift as the narrow lines, and emission from an accretion disk which appears to be preferentially redshifted with respect to the narrow lines for high-redshift sources and blueshifted relative to the narrow lines for low-redshift sources.
We report on a detailed abundance analysis of two strongly r-process enhanced, very metal-poor stars newly discovered in the HERES project, CS 29491-069 ([Fe/H]=-2.51, [r/Fe]=+1.1) and HE 1219-0312 ([Fe/H]=-2.96, [r/Fe]=+1.5). The analysis is based on high-quality VLT/UVES spectra and MARCS model atmospheres. We detect lines of 15 heavy elements in the spectrum of CS 29491-069, and 18 in HE 1219-0312; in both cases including the Th II 4019 {\AA} line. The heavy-element abundance patterns of these two stars are mostly well-matched to scaled solar residual abundances not formed by the s-process. We also compare the observed pattern with recent high-entropy wind (HEW) calculations, which assume core-collapse supernovae of massive stars as the astrophysical environment for the r-process, and find good agreement for most lanthanides. The abundance ratios of the lighter elements strontium, yttrium, and zirconium, which are presumably not formed by the main r-process, are reproduced well by the model. Radioactive dating for CS 29491-069 with the observed thorium and rare-earth element abundance pairs results in an average age of 9.5 Gyr, when based on solar r-process residuals, and 17.6 Gyr, when using HEW model predictions. Chronometry seems to fail in the case of HE 1219-0312, resulting in a negative age due to its high thorium abundance. HE 1219-0312 could therefore exhibit an overabundance of the heaviest elements, which is sometimes called an "actinide boost".
We have used a statistical technique "Shuffle" (Bhavsar & Ling 1988; Bharadwaj, Bhavsar & Sheth 2004) in seven nearly two dimensional strips from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Six (SDSS DR6) to test if the statistically significant length scale of filaments depends on luminosity, colour and morphology of galaxies. We find that although the average filamentarity depends on these galaxy properties, the statistically significant length scale of filaments does not depend on them. We compare it's measured values in SDSS against the predictions of Lambda CDM N-body simulations and find that Lambda CDM model is consistent with observations. The average filamentarity is known to be very sensitive to the bias parameter. Using Lambda CDM N-body simulations we simulate mock galaxy distributions for SDSS NGP equatorial strip for different biases and test if the statistically significant length scale of filaments depends on bias. We find that statistically significant length scale of filaments is nearly independent of bias. The average filamentarity is also known to be dependent on the galaxy number density and size of the samples. We use Lambda CDM dark matter N-body simulations to test if the statistically significant length scale of filaments depends on these factors and find a very weak dependence. Finally we test the reliability of our method by applying it to controlled samples of segment Cox process and find that our method successfully recovers the length of the inputted segments. Summarizing these results we conclude that the statistically significant length scale of filaments is a robust measure of the galaxy distribution.
We study observational implications of the stochastic gravitational wave background and a non-Gaussian feature of scalar perturbations on the curvaton mechanism of the generation of density/curvature fluctuations, and show that they can determine the properties of the curvaton in a complementary manner to each other. Therefore even if Planck could not detect any non-Gaussianity, future space-based laser interferometers such as DECIGO or BBO could practically exhaust its parameter space.
The photometric, structural and kinematical properties of the centers of elliptical galaxies, harbor important information of the formation history of the galaxies. In the case of non active elliptical galaxies these properties are linked in a way that surface brightness, break radius and velocity dispersion of the core lie on a fundamental plane similar to that found for their global properties. We construct the Core Fundamental Plane (CFP) for a sizeable sample of low redshift radio galaxies and compare it with that of non radio ellipticals. To pursue this aim we combine data obtained from high resolution HST images with medium resolution optical spectroscopy to derive the photometric and kinematic properties of ~40 low redshift radio galaxies. We find that the CFPs of radio galaxies is indistinguishable from that defined by non radio elliptical galaxies of similar luminosity. The characteristics of the CFP of radio galaxies are also consistent (same slope) with those of the Fundamental Plane (FP) derived from the global properties of radio (and non radio) elliptical galaxies. The similarity of CFP and FP for radio and non radio ellipticals suggests that the active phase of these galaxies has minimal effects for the structure of the galaxies.
Although today there are many observational methods, Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) is still one of the most powerful tools to probe the mysterious dark energy (DE). The most recent SNIa datasets are the 307 SNIa "Union" dataset \cite{Kowalski} and the 397 SNIa "Constitution" dataset \cite{Hicken2}. In a recent work, Wei \cite{Wei2} pointed out that both Union and Constitution datasets are in tension with the observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO), and suggested that two truncated versions of Union and Constitution datasets, namely "UnionT" and "ConstitutionT" SNIa samples, should be used to constrain DE models. In the present work, by using these 4 SNIa datasets, as well as the observations of CMB and BAO, we perform best-fit analysis on 10 DE models. It is found that: (1) For each DE model, by using Wei's method $\chi_{min}^{2}$ is greatly reduced and $\chi_{min}^{2}/dof$ can be significantly improved. (2) CMB data play a very important role in distinguishing different DE models, and DGP model is disfavored by the cosmological observations. (3) Among three kinds of holographic DE models, the original holographic dark energy (HDE) is still more favored by the cosmological observations. (4) The current observational data are still too limited to distinguish all DE models.
We present 737 candidate Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) near the W51 Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC) over an area of 1.25 deg x 1.00 deg selected from Spitzer Space Telescope data. We use spectral energy distribution (SED) fits to identify YSOs and distinguish them from main-sequence or red giant stars, asymptotic giant branch stars, and background galaxies. Based on extinction of each YSO, we separate a total of 437 YSOs associated with the W51 region from the possible foreground sources. We identify 69 highly embedded Stage 0/I candidate YSOs in our field with masses > 5 Msun (corresponding to mid-to early-B main-sequence spectral types) 46 of which are located in the central active star forming regions of W51A and W51B. From the YSOs associated with W51, we find evidence for mass segregation showing that the most massive YSOs are concentrated on the W51 HII region complex. We find a variation in the spatial distribution of the mass function (MF) of YSOs in the mass range between 5 Msun and 18 Msun. The derived slopes of the MF are -1.26 and -2.36 in the active star-forming region and the outer region, respectively. The variation of the MF for YSOs embedded in the molecular cloud implies that the distribution of stellar masses in clusters depends on the local conditions in the parent molecular cloud.
(Abridged) The present number of Galactic Open Clusters that have high-resolution abundance determinations, not only of [Fe/H], but also of other key elements, is largely insufficient to enable a clear modeling of the Galactic Disk chemical evolution. We obtained high-resolution (R~30000), high quality (S/N~50-100 per pixel), echelle spectra with FOCES, at Calar Alto, for 3 red clump stars in each of five Open Clusters. We used the classical Equivalent Width analysis method to obtain accurate abundances of 16 elements. We also derived the oxygen abundance through spectral synthesis of the 6300A forbidden line. Three of the clusters were never studied previously with high-resolution: we found [Fe/H]=+0.03 +/- 0.02 dex for Cr110; [Fe/H]=+0.01 +/- 0.05 dex for NGC2099 (M37) and [Fe/H]=-0.05 +/- 0.03 dex for NGC2420. For the remaining clusters, we find: [Fe/H]=+0.05 +/- 0.02 dex for M67 and [Fe/H]=+0.04 +/- 0.07 dex for NGC7789. We provide the first high-resolution based velocity estimate for Cr110, V=41.0 +/- 3.8 km/s. All our programme stars show abundance patterns typical of open clusters. Also, no significant sign of (anti-)correlations is found. We then compile high-resolution data of 57 clusters from the literature and we find a gradient of [Fe/H] with Galactocentric Radius of -0.06 +/- 0.02 dex/kpc, in agreement with past work. A change of slope is seen outside RGC=12 kpc and [alpha/Fe] shows a tendency of increasing with RGC. We also confirm the absence of a significant Age-Metallicity relation.
We present the first results from the new Survey of Extragalactic Nuclear Spectral Energies (SENSE) sample of "blazars". The sample has been chosen with minimal selection effects and is therefore ideal to probe the intrinsic properties of the blazar population. We report evidence for negative cosmological evolution in this radio selected sample and give an outline of future work related to the SENSE sample.
In this outlook we describe what could be the next steps of the direct characterization of habitable exoplanets after first the medium and large mission projects and investigate the benefits of the spectroscopic and direct imaging approaches. We show that after third and fourth generation missions foreseeable for the next 100 years, we will face a very long era before being able to see directly the morphology of extrasolar organisms.
(...) We have found a disagreement between the observed integrated colours of 650 local Galactic clusters and theoretical colours of present-day SSP models and seek an explanation for this discrepancy. We check the hypothesis that the systematic offset between observed and theoretical colours, which is $(B$$-$$V)\approx 0.3$ \textbf{and $(J$$-$$K_s)\approx 0.8$}, is due to neglecting the discrete nature of the underlying mass function. Using Monte Carlo simulations we construct artificial clusters of coeval stars drawn from a mass distribution according to the Salpeter IMF and compare them with corresponding "continuous-IMF" SSP models. If the discreteness of the IMF is taken into account, the model fits the observations perfectly and is able to explain naturally a number of red "outliers" observed in the empirical colour-age relation. We find that the \textit{systematic} offset between the continuous- and discrete-IMF colours reaches its maximum of about 0.5 in $(B$$-$$V)$ for a cluster mass $M_c=10^2 m_\odot$ at ages $\log t\approx 7$, and diminishes substantially but not completely to about one hundredth of a magnitude at $\log t >7.9$ at cluster masses $M_c> 10^5 m_\odot$. At younger ages, it is still present even in massive clusters, and for $M_c \leqslant 10^4 m_\odot$ it is larger than 0.1 mag in $(B$$-$$V)$. Only for very massive clusters ($M_c>10^6 m_\odot$) with ages $\log t< 7.5$ the offset is small (of the order of 0.04 mag) and falls below the typical observational error of colours of extragalactic clusters.
Current status and results of the experiment on recording neutrino bursts are presented. The observation time (since 1980) is 24.7 years. The upper bound of collapse frequency in our Galaxy is 0.093 $y^{-1}$ (90% CL).
We investigate constraints on the time variation of the fine structure constant between the recombination epoch and the present epoch, $\Delta\alpha/\alpha \equiv (\alpha_{rec} - \alpha_{now})/\alpha_{now}$, from cosmic microwave background (CMB) taking into account simultaneous variation of other physical constants, namely the electron mass $m_{e}$ and the proton mass $m_{p}$. In other words, we consider the variation of Yukawa coupling and the QCD scale $\Lambda_{QCD}$ in addition to the electromagnetic coupling. We clarify which parameters can be determined from CMB temperature anisotropy in terms of singular value decomposition. Assuming a relation among variations of coupling constants governed by a single scalar field (the dilaton), the 95 % confidence level (C.L.) constraint on $\Delta\alpha/\alpha$ is found to be $-8.28 \times 10^{-3} < \Delta\alpha/\alpha < 1.81 \times 10^{-3}$, which is tighter than the one obtained by considering only the change of $\alpha$ and $m_{e}$. We also obtain the constraint on the time variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio $\mu \equiv m_{p}/m_{e}$ to be $-0.52 < \Delta\mu/\mu < 0.17$ (95 % C.L.) under the same assumption.
In this paper we analyze soft and hard X-ray emission of the 2002 September 20 M1.8 GOES class solar flare observed by RHESSI and GOES satellites. In this flare event, soft X-ray emission precedes the onset of the main bulk hard X-ray emission by ~5 min. This suggests that an additional heating mechanism may be at work at the early beginning of the flare. However RHESSI spectra indicate presence of the non-thermal electrons also before impulsive phase. So, we assumed that a dominant energy transport mechanism during rise phase of solar flares is electron beam-driven evaporation. We used non-thermal electron beams derived from RHESSI spectra as the heating source in a hydrodynamic model of the analyzed flare. We showed that energy delivered by non-thermal electron beams is sufficient to heat the flare loop to temperatures in which it emits soft X-ray closely following the GOES 1-8 A light-curve. We also analyze the number of non-thermal electrons, the low energy cut-off, electron spectral indices and the changes of these parameters with time.
In this series of papers, we propose a theory to explain the formation and properties of rings and spirals in barred galaxies. The building blocks of these structures are orbits guided by the manifolds emanating from the unstable Lagrangian points located near the ends of the bar. In this paper we focus on a comparison of the morphology of observed and of theoretical spirals and rings and we also give some predictions for further comparisons. Our theory can account for spirals as well as both inner and outer rings. The model outer rings have the observed $R_1$, $R_1'$, $R_2$, $R_2'$ and $R_1R_2$ morphologies, including the dimples near the direction of the bar major axis. We explain why the vast majority of spirals in barred galaxies are two armed and trailing, and discuss what it would take for higher multiplicity arms to form. We show that the shapes of observed and theoretical spirals agree and we predict that stronger non-axisymmetric forcings at and somewhat beyond corotation will drive more open spirals. We compare the ratio of ring diameters in theory and in observations and predict that more elliptical rings will correspond to stronger forcings. We find that the model potential may influence strongly the numerical values of these ratios.
We report the detection of a dark substructure through direct gravitational imaging - undetected in the HST-WFPC2 F606W image - in the gravitational lens galaxy of SLACS SDSSJ0946+1006 (the "Double Einstein Ring"). The detection is based on a Bayesian grid reconstruction of the two-dimensional surface density of the galaxy inside an annulus around its Einstein radius (few kpc). The detection of a small mass concentration in the surface density maps has a strong statistical significance. We confirm this detection by modeling the system including a parametric mass model with a tidally truncated pseudo-Jaffe density profile; in that case the substructure mass is M_sub=(3.51+-0.15)x10^9 Msun, located at (-0.651+-0.038,1.040+-0.034)'', precisely where also the surface density map shows a strong convergence peak (Bayes factor dlog(E)=-128.0; equivalent to a ~16-sigma detection). The result is robust under substantial changes in the model and the data-set (e.g. PSF, pixel number and scale, source and potential regularization, rotations and galaxy subtraction). Despite being at the limits of detectability, it can therefore not be attributed to obvious systematic effects. Our detection implies a dark matter mass fraction at the radius of the inner Einstein ring of f_CDM=2.15^{+2.05}_{-1.25} percent (68 percent C.L) in the mass range 4x10^6 Msun to 4x10^9 Msun assuming alpha=1.9+-0.1 (with dN/dm ~ m^-alpha). Assuming a flat prior on alpha, between 1.0 and 3.0, increases this to f_CDM=2.56^{+3.26}_{-1.50} percent (68 percent C.L). The likelihood ratio is 0.51 between our best value (f_CDM=0.0215) and that from simulations (f_sim=0.003). Hence the inferred mass fraction, admittedly based on a single lens system, is large but still consistent with predictions.
We compare the results of the photometrical analysis of barred galaxies with those of a similar analysis from N-body simulations. The photometry is for a sample of nine barred galaxies observed in the J and Ks bands with the CANICA near infrared (NIR) camera at the 2.1-m telescope of the Observatorio Astrofisico Guillermo Haro (OAGH) in Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. The comparison includes radial ellipticity profiles and surface brightness (density for the N-body galaxies) profiles along the bar major and minor axes. We find very good agreement, arguing that the exchange of angular momentum within the galaxy plays a determinant role in the evolution of barred galaxies.
We have investigated spectral variation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15 observed with Suzaku in January 2006 for three separate periods spreading over fourteen days. We found that the time-averaged continuum energy spectrum between 1 keV and 40 keV can be approximated with a spectral model composed of the direct power-law component, its reflection component, two warm absorbers with different ionization states, and neutral absorption. We have taken two approaches to study its spectral variation at various timescales: The first approach is to make intensity-sliced spectra and study correlation between the intensity and spectral shape. The second approach is to study spectral changes between the intervals when the source flux is above ("bright state") and below ("faint state") the average for fixed time-intervals. In both approaches, we found a clear correlation between the intensity in the 6 -- 10 keV band and the spectral ratio of 0.5 -- 3.0 keV/6.0-- 10 keV. Such a spectral variation requires change of the apparent slope of the direct component, whereas the shape and intensity of the reflection component being invariable. The observed apparent spectral change is explained by variation of the ionization degree of one of the two warm absorbers due to intrinsic source luminosity variation. Current results suggest that the warm absorber has a critical role to explain the observed continuum spectral shape and variation of MCG-6-30-15, which is essential to constrain parameters of the putatively broadened iron line emission feature.
Compared to starburst galaxies, normal star forming galaxies have been shown to display a much larger dispersion of the dust attenuation at fixed reddening through studies of the IRX-beta diagram (the IR/UV ratio "IRX" versus the UV color "beta"). To investigate the causes of this larger dispersion and attempt to isolate second parameters, we have used GALEX UV, ground-based optical, and Spitzer infrared imaging of 8 nearby galaxies, and examined the properties of individual UV and 24 micron selected star forming regions. We concentrated on star-forming regions, in order to isolate simpler star formation histories than those that characterize whole galaxies. We find that 1) the dispersion is not correlated with the mean age of the stellar populations, 2) a range of dust geometries and dust extinction curves are the most likely causes for the observed dispersion in the IRX-beta diagram 3) together with some potential dilution of the most recent star-forming population by older unrelated bursts, at least in the case of star-forming regions within galaxies, 4) we also recover some general characteristics of the regions, including a tight positive correlation between the amount of dust attenuation and the metal content. Although generalizing our results to whole galaxies may not be immediate, the possibility of a range of dust extinction laws and geometries should be accounted for in the latter systems as well.
In this talk, I shall update my 16-year old claim that all the (thousands of) observed GRBs - both long and short, repeating or (so far) not - come from the surfaces of Galactic neutron stars, often called 'magnetars', or 'throttled pulsars'.
A filament disappearance event was observed on 22 May 2008 during our recent campaign JOP 178. The filament, situated in the southern hemisphere, showed sinistral chirality consistent with the hemispheric rule. The event was well observed by several observatories in particular by THEMIS. One day before the disappearance, H$\alpha$ observations showed up and down flows in adjacent locations along the filament, which suggest plasma motions along twisted flux rope. THEMIS and GONG observations show shearing photospheric motions leading to magnetic flux canceling around barbs. STEREO A, B spacecraft with separation angle 52.4 degrees, showed quite different views of this untwisting flux rope in He II 304 \AA\ images. Here, we reconstruct the 3D geometry of the filament during its eruption phase using STEREO EUV He II 304 \AA\ images and find that the filament was highly inclined to the solar normal. The He II 304 \AA\ movies show individual threads, which oscillate and rise to an altitude of about 120 Mm with apparent velocities of about 100 km s$^{-1}$, during the rapid evolution phase. Finally, as the flux rope expands into the corona, the filament disappears by becoming optically thin to undetectable levels. No CME was detected by STEREO, only a faint CME was recorded by LASCO at the beginning of the disappearance phase at 02:00 UT, which could be due to partial filament eruption. Further, STEREO Fe XII 195 \AA\ images showed bright loops beneath the filament prior to the disappearance phase, suggesting magnetic reconnection below the flux rope.
The present constraints on fundamental constant variation (\alpha and \mu)
obtained in the radio range are reviewed, coming essentially from absorption
lines in front of quasars of intermediate to high-z galaxies, through CO, HI,
OH, HCO+, HCN .. lines up to NH3 and CII.
With ALMA, the sensitivity to detect radio continuum sources in narrow bands
will increase by an order of magnitude, and the expected progress is
quantified. The relative advantage of the radio domain with respect to the
optical one is emphasized.
This thesis focuses on characterizing the distribution of points and galaxies using multifractal analysis. In this attempt the main emphasis is on calculating the Minkowski-Bouligand fractal dimension (Dq) of the distribution of points over different scales and hence finding the scale of homogeneity of the distribution. Effects, of finite size of the sample and clustering in the distribution, on the Dq have been studied in detail. The assumption that the large scale distribution of matter in the Universe is homogeneous has been verified with multifractal analysis of the data from Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
The characteristic chemistry of terrestrial planets and, in particular, of giant planets rich and poor in He and H2 are described.
As a step toward a complete theoretical integration of 3D compressible
hydrodynamic simulations into stellar evolution, convection at the surface and
sub-surface layers of the Sun is re-examined, from a restricted point of view,
in the language of mixing-length theory (MLT) . Requiring that MLT use a
hydrodynamically realistic dissipation length gives a new constraint on solar
models. While the stellar structure which results is similar to that obtained
by YREC and Garching models, the theoretical picture differs. A new
quantitative connection is made between macro-turbulence, micro-turbulence, and
the convective velocity scale at the photosphere, which has finite values. The
"geometric parameter" in MLT is found to correspond more reasonably with the
size of the strong downward plumes which drive convection (Stein and Nordlund
1998), and thus has a physical interpretation even in MLT. Use of 3D
simulations of both adiabatic convection and stellar atmospheres will allow the
determination of the dissipation length and the geometric parameter (i.e., the
entropy jump), with no astronomical calibration.
A physically realistic treatment of convection in stellar evolution will
require additional modifications beyond MLT, including effects of kinetic
energy flux, entrainment (the most dramatic difference from MLT found by Meakin
and Arnett 2007), rotation, and magnetic fields (Balbus 2009}.
We report the first interferomteric detection of 183 GHz water emission in the low-mass protostar Serpens SMM1 using the Submillimeter Array with a resolution of 3$"$ and rms of $\sim$7 Jy in a 3 km s$^{-1}$ bin. Due to the small size and high brightnessof more than 240 Jy/beam, it appears to be maser emission. In total three maser spots were detected out to $\sim$ 700 AU from the central protostar, lying along the red-shifted outflow axis, outside the circumstellar disk but within the envelope region as evidenced by the continuum measurements. Two of the maser spots appear to be blue-shifted by about 1 to 2 km s$^{-1}$. No extended or compact thermal emission from a passively heated protostellar envelope was detected with a limit of 7 Jy (16 K), in agreement with recent modelling efforts. We propose that the maser spots originate within the cavity walls due to the interaction of the outflow jet with the surrounding protostellar envelope. Hydrodynamical models predict that such regions can be dense and warm enough to invert the 183 GHz water transition.
A recent paper by T. Dauxois entitled "Non-Gaussian distributions under scrutiny" is submitted to scrutiny. Several comments on its content are made, which constitute, at the same time, a brief state-of-the-art review of nonextensive statistical mechanics, a current generalization of the Boltzmann-Gibbs theory. Some inadvertences and misleading sentences are pointed out as well.
We derive the equations of motion of an extended test body in the context of Einstein's theory of gravitation. The equations of motion are obtained via a multipolar approximation method and are given up to the quadrupolar order. Special emphasis is put on the explicit construction of the so-called canonical form of the energy-momentum density. The set of gravitational multipolar moments and the corresponding equations of motion allow for a systematic comparison to competing multipolar approximation schemes.
The quest to comprehend how nuclear processes influence astrophysical phenomena is driving experimental and theoretical research programs worldwide. One of the main goals in nuclear astrophysics is to understand how energy is generated in stars, how elements are synthesized in stellar events and what the nature of neutron stars is. New experimental capabilities, the availability of radioactive beams and increased computational power paired with new astronomical observations have advanced the present knowledge. This review summarizes the progress in the field of nuclear astrophysics with a focus on the role of indirect methods and reactions involving beams of rare isotopes.
We study the impact of a running index $\alpha_t$ on the spectrum of relic gravitational waves (RGWs) over the whole range of frequency $(10^{-18}\sim 10^{10})$ Hz and reveal its implications in RGWs detections and in cosmology. Analytical calculations show that, although the spectrum of RGWs on low frequencies is less affected by $\alpha_t\ne 0$, but, on high frequencies, the spectrum is modified substantially. Investigations are made toward potential detections of the $\alpha_t$-modified RGWs for several kinds of current and planned detectors. The Advanced LIGO will likely be able to detect RGWs with $\alpha_t\ge 0$ for inflationary models with the inflation index $\beta=-1.956$ and the tensor-scalar ratio $r= 0.55$. The future LISA can detect RGWs for a much broader range of ($\alpha_t$, $\beta$, $r$), and will have a better chance to break a degeneracy between them. Constraints on $\alpha_t$ are estimated from several detections and cosmological observations. Among them, the most stringent one is from the bound of the Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), and requires $\alpha_t < 0.008$ rather conservatively for any reasonable ($\beta$, $r$), preferring a nearly power-law spectrum of RGWs. In light of this result, one would expect the scalar running index $\alpha_s$ to be of the same magnitude as $\alpha_t$, if both RGWs and scalar perturbations are generated by the same scalar inflation.
An overview of some recent developments in inhomogeneous models is presented.
As the volume and precision of cosmological data improves, it will become more
and more essential to understand the non-linear behaviour of the Einstein field
equations. This requires the study of exact inhomogeneous solutions, including
their density distributions, their evolution, their geometry, and their causal
structure. Observations are strongly affected by the detailed geometry and
evolution of a model, and therefore interpretation of observations depends on
understanding them.
It is generally assumed the universe is homogeneous if averaged over large
enough scales, but to actually prove this is so, will require the assumption to
be relaxed, and a rigorous inhomogeneous approach to be applied. Though the \LT
metric has long been used for models of spherical inhomogeneities, there have
been a number of new results, including a variety of methods for creating
models with specific properties, and their application to cosmic structures on
several different scales. Interest in the Szekeres metrics is on the increase,
and the quasi-spherical metric was recently used to model specific cosmic
structures for the first time. The quasi-planar and quasi-hyperspherical
metrics have been hardly studied until recent work invesigated their physical
and geometric properties. There is enormous scope for work with these metrics.
Using super Hamiltonian formalism, we study the motion of particles whose dispersion relations are modified to incorporate Ho\v{r}ava -- Lifshitz type anisotropic scaling symmetry. We find the following as consequences of this modified dispersion relation: (i) The speed of a charged particle under a constant electric field grows without bound and diverges. (ii) The speed of a particle falling towards the horizon also grows without bound and diverges as the particle approaches the horizon. (iii) This particle reaches the horizon in a finite coordinate time, in contrast to the standard case where it requires infinite time.
We study the generation of a stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background produced by a population of neutron stars (NSs) which go over a hadron-quark phase transition in its inner shells. We obtain, for example, that the NS phase transition, in cold dark matter scenarios, could generate a stochastic GW background with a maximum amplitude of $h_{\rm BG} \sim 10^{-24}$, in the frequency band $\nu_{\rm{obs}} \simeq 20-2000 {\rm Hz}$ for stars forming at redshifts of up to $z\simeq 20.$ We study the possibility of detection of this isotropic GW background by correlating signals of a pair of Advanced LIGO observatories.
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We report on the results of a Chandra search for evidence of triggered nuclear activity within the Cl0023+0423 four-way group merger at z ~ 0.84. The system consists of four interacting galaxy groups in the early stages of hierarchical cluster formation and, as such, provides a unique look at the level of processing and evolution already under way in the group environment prior to cluster assembly. We present the number counts of X-ray point sources detected in a field covering the entire Cl0023 structure, as well as a cross-correlation of these sources with our extensive spectroscopic database. Both the redshift distribution and cumulative number counts of X-ray sources reveal little evidence to suggest that the system contains X-ray luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in excess to what is observed in the field population. If preprocessing is under way in the Cl0023 system, our observations suggest that powerful nuclear activity is not the predominant mechanism quenching star formation and driving the evolution of Cl0023 galaxies. We speculate that this is due to a lack of sufficiently massive nuclear black holes required to power such activity, as previous observations have found a high late-type fraction among the Cl0023 population. It may be that disruptive AGN-driven outflows become an important factor in the preprocessing of galaxy populations only during a later stage in the evolution of such groups and structures when sufficiently massive galaxies (and central black holes) have built up, but prior to hydrodynamical processes stripping them of their gas reservoirs.
We examine the star formation rates (SFRs) of galaxies in a redshift slice encompassing the z=0.834 cluster RX J0152.7-1357. We used a low-dispersion prism in the Inamori Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph (IMACS) to identify galaxies with z<23.3 AB mag in diverse environments around the cluster out to projected distances of ~8 Mpc from the cluster center. We utilize a mass-limited sample (M>2x10^{10} M_sun) of 330 galaxies that were imaged by Spitzer MIPS at 24 micron to derive SFRs and study the dependence of specific SFR (SSFR) on stellar mass and environment. We find that the SFR and SSFR show a strong decrease with increasing local density, similar to the relation at z~0. Our result contrasts with other work at z~1 that find the SFR-density trend to reverse for luminosity-limited samples. These other results appear to be driven by star-formation in lower mass systems (M~10^{10} M_sun). Our results imply that the processes that shut down star-formation are present in groups and other dense regions in the field. Our data also suggest that the lower SFRs of galaxies in higher density environments may reflect a change in the ratio of star-forming to non-star-forming galaxies, rather than a change in SFRs. As a consequence, the SFRs of star-forming galaxies, in environments ranging from small groups to clusters, appear to be similar and largely unaffected by the local processes that truncate star-formation at z~0.8.
We study the Spitzer IRAC mid-infrared (rest-frame optical) fluxes of 14 newly WFC3/IR-detected z~7 z_{850}-dropout galaxies and 5 z~8 Y_{105}-dropout galaxies. The WFC3/IR depth and spatial resolution allows accurate removal of contaminating foreground light, enabling reliable flux measurements at 3.6mum and 4.5mum. None of the galaxies are detected to [3.6]=26.9 (AB, 2 sigma), but a stacking analysis reveals a robust detection for the z_{850}-dropouts and upper limit for the Y_{105}-dropouts. We construct average broadband SEDs using the stacked ACS, WFC3, and IRAC fluxes and fit stellar population synthesis models to derive mean redshifts, stellar masses, and ages. For z~7 z_{850}-dropouts, we find z=6.9^{+0.1}_{-0.1}, (U-V)_{rest}=0.3, reddening A_V=0, stellar mass <M^*>=1.2^{+0.3}_{-0.5} x 10^9Msun (Salpeter IMF). The best-fit ages ~300Myr, M/L_V=0.2, and SSFR~1.7Gyr^{-1} are similar to values reported for luminous z~7 galaxies, indicating the galaxies are smaller but not younger. The sub-L* galaxies observed here contribute significantly to the stellar mass density and under favorable conditions may have provided enough photons for sustained reionization at 7<z<11. In contrast, the z=8.3^{+0.1}_{-0.2} Y_{105}-dropouts have stellar masses that are uncertain by 1.5 dex due to the near-complete reliance on far-UV data. Adopting the 2 sigma upper limit on the M/L(z=8), the stellar mass density (to M_{UV,AB}<-18) declines from 3.7^{+0.9}_{-1.6} x 10^6Msun Mpc^{-3} (z=7) to < 8 x 10^5Msun Mpc^{-3} (z=8), following \propto(1+z)^{-6} over 3<z<8. Much lower masses at z=8 would signify much more dramatic evolution, which can be established with deeper IRAC observations long before the arrival of JWST.
We report the results of a study of the rest-frame UV spectrum of the Cosmic Eye, a luminous Lyman break galaxy at z=3.07331 gravitationally lensed by a factor of 25. The spectrum, recorded with the ESI spectrograph on the Keck II telescope, is rich in absorption features from the gas and massive stars in this galaxy. The interstellar absorption lines are resolved into two components of approximately equal strength and each spanning several hundred km/s in velocity. One component has a net blueshift of -70 km/s relative to the stars and H II regions and presumably arises in a galaxy-scale outflow similar to those seen in most star-forming galaxies at z = 2-3. The other is more unusual in showing a mean redshift of +350 km/s relative to the systemic redshift; possible interpretations include a merging clump, or material ejected by a previous star formation episode and now falling back onto the galaxy, or more simply a chance alignment with a foreground galaxy. In the metal absorption lines, both components only partially cover the OB stars against which they are being viewed. We tentatively associate the redshifted component with the strong damped Lyman alpha line, indicative of a column density N(H I) = (3.0 +/- 0.8) x 10(21) atoms/cm2, and propose that it provides the dust `foreground screen' responsible for the low ratio of far-infrared to UV luminosities of the Cosmic Eye. Compared to other well-studied examples of strongly lensed galaxies, we find that the young stellar population of the Cosmic Eye is essentially indistinguishable from those of the Cosmic Horseshoe and MS 1512-cB58, while the interstellar spectra of all three galaxies are markedly different, attesting to the real complexity of the interplay between starbursts and ambient interstellar matter in young galaxies (abridged).
In a recent publication, an aperture mass statistic for gravitational flexion was derived and shown to be effective, at least with simulated data, in detecting massive structures and substructures within clusters of galaxies. Further, it was suggested that the radius at which the flexion aperture mass signal falls to zero might allow for estimation of the mass or density profile of the structures detected. In this paper, we more fully explore this possibility, considering the behaviour both of the peak signal and the zero-signal contours for two mass models--the singular isothermal sphere and Navarro-Frenk-White profiles--under varying aperture size, filter shape and mass concentration parameter. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the flexion aperture mass statistic in discriminating between mass profiles and concentration parameters, and in providing an accurate estimate of the mass of the lens, to within a factor of 2 or better.
Most of the super massive black hole mass estimates based on stellar kinematics use the assumption that galaxies are axisymmetric oblate spheroids or spherical. Here we use fully general triaxial orbit-based models to explore the effect of relaxing the axisymmetric assumption on the previously studied galaxies M32 and NGC 3379. We find that M32 can only be modeled accurately using an axisymmetric shape viewed nearly edge-on and our black hole mass estimate is identical to previous studies. When the observed 5 degrees kinematical twist is included in our model of NGC 3379, the best shape is mildly triaxial and we find that our best-fitting black hole mass estimate doubles with respect to the axisymmetric model. This particular black hole mass estimate is still within the errors of that of the axisymmetric model and consistent with the M-sigma relationship. However, this effect may have a pronounced impact on black hole demography, since roughly a third of the most massive galaxies are strongly triaxial.
Solar gravity modes (or g modes) -- oscillations of the solar interior for which buoyancy acts as the restoring force -- have the potential to provide unprecedented inference on the structure and dynamics of the solar core, inference that is not possible with the well observed acoustic modes (or p modes). The high amplitude of the g-mode eigenfunctions in the core and the evanesence of the modes in the convection zone make the modes particularly sensitive to the physical and dynamical conditions in the core. Owing to the existence of the convection zone, the g modes have very low amplitudes at photospheric levels, which makes the modes extremely hard to detect. In this paper, we review the current state of play regarding attempts to detect g modes. We review the theory of g modes, including theoretical estimation of the g-mode frequencies, amplitudes and damping rates. Then we go on to discuss the techniques that have been used to try to detect g modes. We review results in the literature, and finish by looking to the future, and the potential advances that can be made -- from both data and data-analysis perspectives -- to give unambiguous detections of individual g modes. The review ends by concluding that, at the time of writing, there is indeed a consensus amongst the authors that there is currently no undisputed detection of solar g modes.
In this paper we consider the effects of opacity regimes on the stability of self-gravitating protoplanetary discs to fragmentation into bound objects. Using a self-consistent 1-D viscous disc model, we show that the ratio of local cooling to dynamical timescales Omega*tcool has a strong dependence on the local temperature. We investigate the effects of temperature-dependent cooling functions on the disc's gravitational stability through controlled numerical experiments using an SPH code. We find that such cooling functions raise the susceptibility of discs to fragmentation through the influence of temperature perturbations - the average value of Omega*tcool has to increase to prevent local variability leading to collapse. We find the effects of temperature dependence to be most significant in the "opacity gap" associated with dust sublimation, where the average value of Omega*tcool at fragmentation is increased by over an order of magnitude. We then use this result to predict where protoplanetary discs will fragment into bound objects, in terms of radius and accretion rate. We find that without temperature dependence, for radii < ~10AU a very large accretion rate ~10^-3 Msun/yr is required for fragmentation, but that this is reduced to 10^-4 Msun/yr with temperature-dependent cooling. We also find that the stability of discs with accretion rates < ~10^-7 Msun/yr at radii > ~50AU is enhanced by a lower background temperature if the disc becomes optically thin.
We present the discovery of spectacular double X-ray tails associated with ESO137-001 and a possibly heated X-ray tail associated with ESO137-002, both late-type galaxies in the closest rich cluster Abell 3627. A deep Chandra observation of ESO137-001 allows us for the first time to examine the spatial and spectral properties of such X-ray tails in detail. Besides the known bright tail that extends to ~ 80 kpc from ESO137-001, a fainter and narrower secondary tail with a similar length was surprisingly revealed. There is little temperature variation along both tails. We also identified six X-ray point sources as candidates of intracluster ULXs with L(0.3-10 keV) of up to 2.5x10^40 erg s^-1. Gemini spectra of intracluster HII regions downstream of ESO137-001 are also presented, as well as the velocity map of these HII regions that shows the imprint of ESO137-001's disk rotation. For the first time, we unambiguously know that active star formation can happen in the cold ISM stripped by ICM ram pressure and it may contribute a significant amount of the intracluster light. We also report the discovery of a 40 kpc X-ray tail of another late-type galaxy in A3627, ESO137-002. Its X-ray tail seems hot, ~ 2 keV (compared to ~ 0.8 keV for ESO137-001's tails). We conclude that the high pressure environment around these two galaxies is important for their bright X-ray tails and the intracluster star formation.
In this paper, we report on observations of the CoRoT LRa1 field with the Berlin Exoplanet Search Telescope (BEST). The current paper is part of a series of papers describing the results of our stellar variability survey. The BEST is a small aperture telescope with a wide field of view (FOV). It is dedicated to searching for stellar variability within the target fields of the CoRoT space mission to aid in minimizing false-alarm rates and identify potential targets for additional science. The LRa1 field is CoRoT's second long run field located in the galactic anticenter direction. We observed the LRa1 stellar field on 23 nights between November and March 2005/2006. From 6099 stars marked as variable, 39 were classified as periodic variable stars and 27 of them are within the CoRoT FOV. We also confirmed the variability for four stars listed in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS).
Radio AGN feedback in X-ray cool cores has been proposed as a crucial ingredient in the evolution of baryonic structures. However, it has long been known that strong radio AGNs also exist in "noncool core" clusters, which brings up the question whether an X-ray cool core is always required for radio feedback. We present a systematic analysis of 152 groups and clusters to show that every BCG with a strong radio AGN has an X-ray cool core. Those strong radio AGNs in the center of the "noncool core" systems identified before are in fact associated with small X-ray cool cores with typical radii of < 5 kpc (we call them coronae). Small coronae are most likely of ISM origin and they carry enough fuel to power radio AGNs. Our results suggest that the traditional cool core/noncool core dichotomy is too simple. A better alternative is the cool core distribution function with the enclosed X-ray luminosity. Other implications of our results are also discussed, including a warning on the simple extrapolation of the density profile to derive Bondi accretion rate.
We present a maximum-likelihood analysis for estimating the angular distribution of power in an anisotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background using ground-based laser interferometers. The standard isotropic and gravitational-wave radiometer searches (optimal for point sources) are recovered as special limiting cases. The angular distribution can be decomposed with respect to any set of basis functions on the sky, and the single-baseline, cross-correlation analysis is easily extended to a network of three or more detectors-that is, to multiple baselines. A spherical harmonic decomposition, which provides maximum-likelihood estimates of the multipole moments of the gravitational-wave sky, is described in detail. We also discuss: (i) the covariance matrix of the estimators and its relationship to the detector response of a network of interferometers, (ii) a singular-value decomposition method for regularizing the deconvolution of the detector response from the measured sky map, (iii) the expected increase in sensitivity obtained by including multiple baselines, and (iv) the numerical results of this method when applied to simulated data consisting of both point-like and di#use sources. Comparisions between this general method and the standard isotropic and radiometer searches are given throughout, to make contact with the existing literature on stochastic background searches.
Presolar diamond, the carrier of the isotopically anomalous Xe component Xe-HL, was the first mineral type of presolar dust that was isolated from meteorites. The excesses in the light, p-process only isotopes 124Xe and 126Xe, and in the heavy, r-process only isotopes 134Xe and 136Xe relative to the solar ratios indicate that Xe-HL was produced in supernovae: they are the only stellar source where these two processes are believed to take place. Although these processes occur in supernovae, their physical conditions and timeframes are completely different. Yet the excesses are always correlated in diamond separates from meteorites. Furthermore, the p-process 124Xe/126Xe inferred from Xe-L and the r-process 134Xe/136Xe from Xe-H do not agree with the p-process and r-process ratios derived from the solar system abundance, and the inferred p-process ratio does not agree with those predicted from stellar models. The 'rapid separation scenario', where the separation of Xe and its radiogenic precursors Te and I takes place at the very early stage (7900 sec after the end of the r-process), has been proposed to explain Xe-H. Alternatively, mixing of 20% of material that experienced neutron burst and 80% of solar material can reproduce the pattern of Xe-H, although Xe-L is not accounted for with this scenario.
Neptune Trojans and Plutinos are two subpopulations of trans-Neptunian
objects located in the 1:1 and the 3:2 mean motion resonances with Neptune,
respectively, and therefore protected from close encounters with the planet.
However, the orbits of these two kinds of objects may cross very often,
allowing a higher collisional rate between them than with other kinds of
trans-Neptunian objects, and a consequent size distribution modification of the
two subpopulations.
Observational colors and absolute magnitudes of Neptune Trojans and Plutinos
show that i) there are no intrinsically bright (large) Plutinos at small
inclinations, ii) there is an apparent excess of blue and intrinsically bright
(small) Plutinos, and iii) Neptune Trojans possess the same blue colors as
Plutinos within the same (estimated) size range do.
For the present subpopulations we analyzed the most favorable conditions for
close encounters/collisions and address any link there could be between those
encounters and the sizes and/or colors of Plutinos and Neptune Trojans. We also
performed a simultaneous numerical simulation of the outer Solar System over 1
Gyr for all these bodies in order to estimate their collisional rate.
We conclude that orbital overlap between Neptune Trojans and Plutinos is
favored for Plutinos with large libration amplitudes, high eccentricities, and
small inclinations. Additionally, with the assumption that the collisions can
be disruptive creating smaller objects not necessarily with similar colors, the
present high concentration of small Plutinos with small inclinations can thus
be a consequence of a collisional interaction with Neptune Trojans and such
hypothesis should be further analyzed.
Star clusters are found in all sorts of environments and their formation and evolution is inextricably linked to the star formation process. Their eventual destruction can result from a number of factors at different times, but the process can be investigated as a whole through the study of the cluster age distribution. Observations of populous cluster samples reveal a distribution following a power law of index approximately -1. In this work we use M33 as a test case to examine the age distribution of an archetypal cluster population and show that it is in fact the evolving shape of the mass detection limit that defines this trend. That is to say, any magnitude-limited sample will appear to follow a dN/dt=1/t, while cutting the sample according to mass gives rise to a composite structure, perhaps implying a dependence of the cluster disruption process on mass. In the context of this framework, we examine different models of cluster disruption from both theoretical and observational standpoints.
Cosmic rays produced or deposited at sites in hot cluster gas are thought to provide the pressure that forms X-ray cavities. While cavities have a net cooling effect on cluster gas, young, expanding cavities drive shocks that increase the local entropy. Cavities also produce radial filaments of thermal gas and are sources of cluster cosmic rays that diffuse through cavity walls, as in Virgo where a radio lobe surrounds a radial thermal filament. Cosmic rays also make the hot gas locally buoyant, allowing large masses of low entropy gas to be transported out beyond the cooling radius. Successive cavities maintain a buoyant outflow that preserves the cluster gas temperature and gas fraction profiles and dramatically reduces the cooling rate onto the central black hole.
For more than 140 years the chemical composition of our Sun has been considered typical of solar-type stars. Our highly differential elemental abundance analysis of unprecedented accuracy (~0.01 dex) of the Sun relative to solar twins, shows that the Sun has a peculiar chemical composition with a ~20% depletion of refractory elements relative to the volatile elements in comparison with solar twins. The abundance differences correlate strongly with the condensation temperatures of the elements. A similar study of solar analogs from planet surveys shows that this peculiarity also holds in comparisons with solar analogs known to have close-in giant planets while the majority of solar analogs without detected giant planets show the solar abundance pattern. The peculiarities in the solar chemical composition can be explained as signatures of the formation of terrestrial planets like our own Earth.
We compare the accuracy of various methods for determining the transfer of the diffuse Lyman continuum in HII regions, by comparing them with a high-resolution discrete-ordinate integration. We use these results to suggest how, in multidimensional dynamical simulations, the diffuse field may be treated with acceptable accuracy without requiring detailed transport solutions. The angular distribution of the diffuse field derived from the numerical integration provides insight into the likely effects of the diffuse field for various material distributions.
Globular clusters are an important test bed for Newtonian gravity in the weak-acceleration regime, which is vital to our understanding of the nature of the gravitational interaction. Recent claims have been made that the velocity dispersion profiles of globular clusters flatten out at large radii, despite an apparent paucity of dark matter in such objects, indicating the need for a modification of gravitational theories. We continue our investigation of this claim, with the largest spectral samples ever obtained of 47 Tucanae and M55. Furthermore, this large sample allows for an accurate metallicity calibration based on the equivalent widths of the calcium triplet lines and K band magnitude of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch. Assuming an isothermal distribution, the rotations of each cluster are also measured with both clusters exhibiting clear rotation signatures. The global velocity dispersions of NGC 121 and Kron 3, two globular clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud, are also calculated. By applying a simple dynamical model to the velocity dispersion profiles of 47 Tuc and M55, we calculate their mass-to-light profiles, total masses and central velocity dispersions. We find no statistically significant flattening of the velocity dispersion at large radii for M55, and a marked increase in the profile of 47 Tuc for radii greater than approximately half the tidal radius. We interpret this increase as an evaporation signature, indicating that 47 Tuc is undergoing, or has undergone, core-collapse, but find no requirement for dark matter or a modification of gravitational theories in either cluster.
We describe two-dimensional gasdynamical computations of the X-ray emitting gas in the rotating elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 that indicate an inflow of about one solar mass per year at every radius. Such a large instantaneous inflow cannot have persisted over a Hubble time. The central constant-entropy temperature peak recently observed in the innermost 150 parsecs is explained by compressive heating as gas flows toward the central massive black hole. Since the cooling time of this gas is only a few million years, NGC 4649 provides the most acutely concentrated known example of the cooling flow problem in which the time-integrated apparent mass that has flowed into the galactic core exceeds the total mass observed there. This paradox can be resolved by intermittent outflows of energy or mass driven by accretion energy released near the black hole. Inflowing gas is also required at intermediate kpc radii to explain the ellipticity of X-ray isophotes due to spin-up by mass ejected by stars that rotate with the galaxy and to explain local density and temperature profiles. We provide evidence that many luminous elliptical galaxies undergo similar inflow spin-up. A small turbulent viscosity is required in NGC 4649 to avoid forming large X-ray luminous disks that are not observed, but the turbulent pressure is small and does not interfere with mass determinations that assume hydrostatic equilibrium.
The first step in a science project is the acquisition and understanding of the relevant data. This paper outlines the results of a project to design and test network tools specifically oriented at retrieving astronomical data. The tools range from simple data transfer methods to more complex browser-emulating scripts. When integrated with a defined sample or catalog, these scripts provide seamless techniques to retrieve and store data of varying types. Examples are given on how these tools can be used to leapfrog from website to website to acquire multi-wavelength datasets. This project demonstrates the capability to use multiple data websites, in conjunction, to perform the type of calculations once reserved for on-site datasets.
The discovery of bright gamma-ray emission coincident with supernova remnant (SNR) W51C is reported using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. W51C is a middle-aged remnant (~10^4 yr) with intense radio synchrotron emission in its shell and known to be interacting with a molecular cloud. The gamma-ray emission is spatially extended, broadly consistent with the radio and X-ray extent of SNR W51C. The energy spectrum in the 0.2-50 GeV band exhibits steepening toward high energies. The luminosity is greater than 1x10^{36} erg/s given the distance constraint of D>5.5 kpc, which makes this object one of the most luminous gamma-ray sources in our Galaxy. The observed gamma-rays can be explained reasonably by a combination of efficient acceleration of nuclear cosmic rays at supernova shocks and shock-cloud interactions. The decay of neutral pi-mesons produced in hadronic collisions provides a plausible explanation for the gamma-ray emission. The product of the average gas density and the total energy content of the accelerated protons amounts to 5x10^{51}(D/6kpc)^2 erg/cm^3. Electron density constraints from the radio and X-ray bands render it difficult to explain the LAT signal as due to inverse Compton scattering. The Fermi LAT source coincident with SNR W51C sheds new light on the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.
We present a pre-discovery H-band image of the HR 8799 planetary system that reveals all three planets in August 2007. The data were obtained with the Keck adaptive optics system, using angular differential imaging and a coronagraph. We confirm the physical association of all three planets, including HR 8799d, which had only been detected in 2008 images taken two months apart, and whose association with HR 8799 was least secure until now. We confirm that the planets are 2-3 mag fainter than field brown dwarfs of comparable near-infrared colors. We note that similar under-luminosity is characteristic of young substellar objects at the L/T spectral type transition, and is likely due to enhanced dust content and non-equilibrium CO/CH_4 chemistry in their atmospheres. Finally, we place an upper limit of 18 mag per square arc second on the >120 AU H-band dust-scattered light from the HR 8799 debris disk. The upper limit on the integrated scattered light flux is 1e-4 times the photospheric level, 24 times fainter than the debris ring around HR 4796A.
We present the results of AKARI observations of the O-rich supernova remnant G292.0+1.8 using six IRC and four FIS bands covering 2.7-26.5 um and 50-180 um, respectively. The AKARI images show two prominent structures; a bright equatorial ring structure and an outer elliptical shell structure. The equatorial ring structure is clumpy and incomplete with its western end opened. The outer shell is almost complete and slightly squeezed along the north-south direction. The central position of the outer shell is ~ 1' northwest from the embedded pulsar and coincides with the center of the equatorial ring structure. The equatorial ring and the elliptical shell structures were partly visible in optical and/or X-rays, but they are much more clearly revealed in our AKARI images. There is no evident difference in infrared colors of the two prominent structures, which is consistent with the previous proposition that both structures are of circumstellar origin. However, we have detected faint infrared emission of a considerably high 15 to 24 um ratio associated with the supernova ejecta in the southeastern and northwestern areas. Our IRC spectra show that the high ratio is at least partly due to the emission lines from Ne ions in the supernova ejecta material. In addition we detect a narrow, elongated feature outside the SNR shell. We derive the physical parameters of the infrared-emitting dust grains in the shocked circumstellar medium and compare the result with model calculations of dust destruction by a SN shock. The AKARI results suggest that the progenitor was at the center of the infrared circumstellar shell in red supergiant stage and that the observed asymmetry in the SN ejecta could be a result of either a dense circumstellar medium in the equatorial plane and/or an asymmetric explosion.
Hard X-ray surveys have proven remarkably efficient in detecting intermediate polars and asynchronous polars, two of the rarest type of cataclysmic variable (CV). Here we present a global study of hard X-ray selected intermediate polars and asynchronous polars, focusing particularly on the link between hard X-ray properties and spin/orbital periods. To this end, we first construct a new sample of these objects by cross-correlating candidate sources detected in INTEGRAL/IBIS observations against catalogues of known CVs. We find 23 cataclysmic variable matches, and also present an additional 9 (of which 3 are definite) likely magnetic cataclysmic variables (mCVs) identified by others through optical follow-ups of IBIS detections. We also include in our analysis hard X-ray observations from Swift/BAT and SUZAKU/HXD in order to make our study more complete. We find that most hard X-ray detected mCVs have P_{spin}/P_{orb}<0.1 above the period gap. In this respect we also point out the very low number of detected systems in any band between P_{spin}/P_{orb}=0.3 and P_{spin}/P_{orb}=1 and the apparent peak of the P_{spin}/P_{orb} distribution at about 0.1. The observational features of the P_{spin} - P_{orb} plane are discussed in the context of mCV evolution scenarios. We also present for the first time evidence for correlations between hard X-ray spectral hardness and P_{spin}, P_{orb} and P_{spin}/P_{orb}. An attempt to explain the observed correlations is made in the context of mCV evolution and accretion footprint geometries on the white dwarf surface.
In the context of coronal heating, among the zoo of MHD waves that exist in the solar atmosphere, Alfven waves receive special attention. Indeed, these waves constitute an attractive heating agent due to their ability to carry over the many different layers of the solar atmosphere sufficient energy to heat and maintain a corona. However, due to their incompressible nature these waves need a mechanism such as mode conversion (leading to shock heating), phase mixing, resonant absorption or turbulent cascade in order to heat the plasma. New observations with polarimetric, spectroscopic and imaging instruments such as those on board of the japanese satellite Hinode, or the SST or CoMP, are bringing strong evidence for the existence of energetic Alfven waves in the solar corona. In order to assess the role of Alfven waves in coronal heating, in this work we model a magnetic flux tube being subject to Alfven wave heating through the mode conversion mechanism. Using a 1.5-dimensional MHD code we carry out a parameter survey varying the magnetic flux tube geometry (length and expansion), the photospheric magnetic field, the photospheric velocity amplitudes and the nature of the waves (monochromatic or white noise spectrum). It is found that independently of the photospheric wave amplitude and magnetic field a corona can be produced and maintained only for long (> 80 Mm) and thick (area ratio between photosphere and corona > 500) loops. Above a critical value of the photospheric velocity amplitude (generally a few km/s) the corona can no longer be maintained over extended periods of time and collapses due to the large momentum of the waves. These results establish several constraints on Alfven wave heating as a coronal heating mechanism, especially for active region loops.
We present the results of X-ray spectral analysis of 22 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with a small scattering fraction selected from the Second XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue using hardness ratios. They are candidates of buried AGNs, since a scattering fraction, which is a fraction of scattered emission by the circumnuclear photoionized gas with respect to direct emission, can be used to estimate the size of the opening part of an obscuring torus. Their X-ray spectra are modeled by a combination of a power law with a photon index of 1.5-2 absorbed by a column density of 10^23-24 cm^-2, an unabsorbed power law, narrow Gaussian lines, and some additional soft components. We find that scattering fractions of 20 among 22 objects are less than a typical value (3%) for Seyfert2s observed so far. In particular, those of eight objects are smaller than 0.5%, which are in the range for buried AGNs found in recent hard X-ray surveys. Moreover, [O III] lambda5007 luminosities at given X-ray luminosities for some objects are smaller than those for Seyfert2s previously known. This fact could be interpreted as a smaller size of optical narrow emission line regions produced in the opening direction of the obscuring torus. These results indicate that they are strong candidates for the AGN buried in a very geometrically thick torus.
PKS 1510-089 is a powerful Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar at z=0.361 with radiative output dominated by the gamma-ray emission. In the last two years PKS 1510-089 showed high variability over all the electromagnetic spectrum and in particular very high gamma-ray activity was detected by the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector on board the AGILE satellite with flaring episodes in August 2007 and March 2008. An extraordinary activity was detected in March 2009 with several flaring episodes and a flux that reached 500 x 10^{-8} photons cm^{-2} s^{-1}. Multiwavelength observations of PKS 1510-089 seem to indicate the presence of Seyfert-like features such as little blue bump and big blue bump. Moreover, X-ray observations suggested the presence of a soft X-ray excess that could be a feature of the bulk Comptonization mechanism. We present the results of the analysis of the multiwavelength data collected by GASP-WEBT, REM, Swift and AGILE during these gamma-ray flares and the theoretical implications for the emission mechanisms.
The geoeffective magnetic cloud (MC) of 20 November 2003, has been associated to the 18 November 2003, solar active events in previous studies. In some of these, it was estimated that the magnetic helicity carried by the MC had a positive sign, as well as its solar source, active region (AR) NOAA 10501. In this paper we show that the large-scale magnetic field of AR 10501 had a negative helicity sign. Since coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are one of the means by which the Sun ejects magnetic helicity excess into the interplanetary space, the signs of magnetic helicity in the AR and MC should agree. Therefore, this finding contradicts what is expected from magnetic helicity conservation. However, using for the first time correct helicity density maps to determine the spatial distribution of magnetic helicity injection, we show the existence of a localized flux of positive helicity in the southern part of AR 10501. We conclude that positive helicity was ejected from this portion of the AR leading to the observed positive helicity MC.
From the interaction of physics and astrophysics we are witnessing in these years a splendid synthesis of theoretical, experimental and observational results originating from three fundametal physical processes. They were originally proposed by Dirac, by Breit and Wheeler and by Sauter, Heisenberg, Euler and Schwinger. The vacuum polarization process in strong electromagnetic field, pioneered by Sauter, Heisenberg, Euler and Schwinger, introduced the concept of critical electric field. It has been searched without success for more than forty years by heavy-ion collisions in many of the leading particle accelerators worldwide. The novel situation today is that these same processes can be studied on a much more grandiose scale during the gravitational collapse leading to the formation of a black hole being observed in Gamma Ray Bursts. This report is dedicated to the scientific race in act. The theoretical and experimental work developed in Earth-based laboratories is confronted with the theoretical interpretation of space-based observations of phenomena originating on cosmological scales. What has become clear in the last ten years is that all the three above mentioned processes, duly extended in the general relativistic framework, are necessary for the understanding of the physics of the gravitational collapse to a black hole. Vice versa, the natural arena where these processes can be observed in mutual interaction and on an unprecedented scale, is indeed the realm of relativistic astrophysics.
Long-term trends in the solar spectral irradiance are important to determine the impact on Earth's climate. These long-term changes are thought to be caused mainly by changes in the surface area covered by small-scale magnetic elements. The direct measurement of the contrast to determine the impact of these small-scale magnetic elements is, however, limited to a few wavelengths, and is, even for space instruments, affected by scattered light and instrument defocus. In this work we calculate emergent intensities from 3-D simulations of solar magneto-convection and validate the outcome by comparing with observations from Hinode/SOT. In this manner we aim to construct the contrast at wavelengths ranging from the NUV to the FIR.
Symbiotic X-ray Binaries (SyXBs) are a recently discovered subclass of Low Mass X-ray Binaries. Their growing number makes them an important evolutionary channel of X-ray Binaries. Our goal is to perform spectral analysis and classification of the proposed counterparts to IGR J16358-4726 and IGR J16393-4643 and to establish the nature of the X-ray systems. We used the ESO/UT1 ISAAC spectrograph to observe the proposed counterparts to the two sources, obtaining K-band medium resolution spectra (R = 500) with a S/N > 140. Data reduction was performed with the standard procedure. We classified them through comparison with published atlases. We performed SED fitting in order to refine the spectral classification. The two counterparts clearly show the typical features of late-type stars, notably strong CO absorption bands in the red end of the spectrum. Together with information from previous X-ray studies, we classify the two systems as two new members of the SyXB class. For IGR J16393-4643, we considered the most probable counterpart to the system, although three other objects cannot be completely discarded. For this system, we compared our findings with available orbital solutions, constraining the orbital parameters and the mass of the companion star. With the inclusion of two more systems, we increased to eight the number of known SyXBs, which emerges as a non-negligible category of galactic X-ray binaries.
The Broad Emission Lines (BELs) in spectra of type 1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) can be very complex, indicating a complex Broad Line Region (BLR) geometry. According to the standard unification model one can expect an accretion disk around a supermassive black hole in all AGN. Therefore, a disk geometry is expected in the BLR. However, a small fraction of BELs show double-peaked profiles which indicate the disk geometry. Here, we discuss a two-component model, assuming an emission from the accretion disk and one additional emission from surrounding region. We compared the modeled BELs with observed ones (mostly broad H$\alpha$ and H$\beta$ profiles) finding that the model can well describe single-peaked and double-peaked observed broad line profiles.
I show how to reintroduce velocity dispersion into perturbation theory (PT) calculations of structure in the Universe, i.e., how to go beyond the pressureless fluid approximation, starting from first principles. This addresses a possible deficiency in uses of PT to compute clustering on the weakly non-linear scales that will be critical for probing dark energy. Specifically, I show how to derive a non-negligible value for the (initially tiny) velocity dispersion of dark matter particles, <\delta v^2>, where \delta v is the deviation of particle velocities from the local bulk flow. The calculation is essentially a renormalization of the homogeneous (zero order) dispersion by fluctuations 1st order in the initial power spectrum. For power law power spectra with n>-3, the small-scale fluctuations diverge and significant dispersion can be generated from an arbitrarily small starting value -- the dispersion level is set by an equilibrium between fluctuations generating more dispersion and dispersion suppressing fluctuations. For an n=-1.4 power law normalized to match the present non-linear scale, the dispersion would be ~100 km/s. This n corresponds roughly to the slope on the non-linear scale in the real \LambdaCDM Universe, but \LambdaCDM contains much less initial small-scale power -- not enough to bootstrap the small starting dispersion up to a significant value within linear theory (viewed very broadly, structure formation has actually taken place rather suddenly and recently, in spite of the usual "hierarchical" description). The next order PT calculation, which I carry out only at an order of magnitude level, should drive the dispersion up into balance with the growing structure, accounting for small dispersion effects seen recently in simulations.
Recent observations of exoplanets by direct imaging, reveal that giant planets orbit at a few dozens to more than a hundred of AU from their central star. The question of the origin of these planets challenges the standard theories of planet formation. We propose a new way of obtaining such far planets, by outward migration of a pair of planets formed in the 10 AU region. Two giant planets in mean motion resonance in a common gap in the protoplanetary disk migrate outwards, if the inner one is significantly more massive than the outer one. Using hydrodynamical simulations, we show that their semi major axes can increase by almost one order of magnitude. In a flared disk, the pair of planets should reach an asymptotic radius. This mechanism could account for the presence of Fomalhaut b ; then, a second, more massive planet, should be orbiting Fomalhaut at about 75 AU.
The co-evolution of host galaxies and the active black holes which reside in their centre is one of the most important topics in modern observational cosmology. Here we present a study of the properties of obscured Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) detected in the CDFS 1Ms observation and their host galaxies. We limited the analysis to the MUSIC area, for which deep K-band observations obtained with ISAAC@VLT are available, ensuring accurate identifications of the counterparts of the X-ray sources as well as reliable determination of photometric redshifts and galaxy parameters, such as stellar masses and star formation rates. In particular, we: 1) refined the X-ray/infrared/optical association of 179 sources in the MUSIC area detected in the Chandra observation; 2) studied the host galaxies observed and rest frame colors and properties. We found that X-ray selected (L_X>10^{42} erg s^{-1}) AGN show Spitzer colors consistent with both AGN and starburst dominated infrared continuum; the latter would not have been selected as AGN from infrared diagnostics. The host galaxies of X-ray selected obscured AGN are all massive (M_*>10^{10} M_sun) and, in 50% of the cases, are also actively forming stars (1/SSFR<t_{Hubble}) in dusty environments. The median L/LEdd value of the active nucleus is between 2% and 10% depending on the assumed M_{BH}/M_{*} ratio. Finally, we found that the X-ray selected AGN fraction increases with the stellar mass up to a value of ~30% at z>1 and M_*>3x10^{11} M_sun, a fraction significantly higher than in the local Universe for AGN of similar luminosities.
We present timing and spectral analysis of RXTE-PCA observations of SMC X-1 between January 1996 and December 2003. Using our timing analysis and the previous studies, we construct a $\sim 30$ year long pulse period history of the source. We show that frequency derivative shows long (i.e. more than a few years) and short (i.e. order of days) term fluctuations. We revise timing solution of the source and resolve the eccentricity as 0.00089(6). We also find an orbital decay rate of $\dot P_{orb}/P_{orb} =-3.402(7) \times 10^{-6}$ yr$^{-1}$ which is close to the previous results. From the spectral analysis, all spectral parameters except Hydrogen column density show no significant variation with time and X-ray flux. Hydrogen column density is found to be higher as X-ray flux gets lower. This may be due to the increase in soft absorption when the pulsar is partially obscured as in Her X-1 or may just be an artifact of the tail of a soft excess in energy spectrum.
We are carrying out a spectroscopic monitoring of Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, in order to detect binary systems. The sample consists of approximately 50 stars of the Nitrogen sequence (WN) and fainter than V = 13. The observations are made from the 4-m telescope at CTIO, Chile. In the following, we present the first results of the 2007-2008 campaign.
We present broad band Suzaku}observations of a small sample of hard X-ray selected (> 10 keV), nearby Seyfert 2 galaxies and discuss the results in the context of AGN unified model. We also review the issues related to the space density of heavily obscured, Compton Thick AGN in the local Universe and the perspectives for the search of these objects at high redshifts
Observations of dense molecular gas lie at the basis of our understanding of the density and temperature structure of protostellar envelopes and molecular outflows. We aim to characterize the properties of the protostellar envelope, molecular outflow and surrounding cloud, through observations of high excitation molecular lines within a sample of 16 southern sources presumed to be embedded YSOs. Observations of submillimeter lines of CO, HCO+ and their isotopologues, both single spectra and small maps were taken with the FLASH and APEX-2a instruments mounted on APEX to trace the gas around the sources. The HARP-B instrument on the JCMT was used to map IRAS 15398-3359 in these lines. HCO+ mapping probes the presence of dense centrally condensed gas, a characteristic of protostellar envelopes. The rare isotopologues C18O and H13CO+ are also included to determine the optical depth, column density, and source velocity. The combination of multiple CO transitions, such as 3-2, 4-3 and 7-6, allows to constrain outflow properties, in particular the temperature. Archival submillimeter continuum data are used to determine envelope masses. Eleven of the sixteen sources have associated warm and/or dense quiescent as characteristic of protostellar envelopes, or an associated outflow. Using the strength and degree of concentration of the HCO+ 4-3 and CO 4-3 lines as a diagnostic, five sources classified as Class I based on their spectral energy distributions are found not to be embedded YSOs. The C18O 3-2 lines show that for none of the sources, foreground cloud layers are present. Strong molecular outflows are found around six sources, .. (continued in paper)
We present new tests for disruption mechanisms of star clusters based on the bivariate mass-age distribution g(M,\tau). In particular, we derive formulae for g(M,\tau) for two idealized models in which the rate of disruption depends on the masses of the clusters and one in which it does not. We then compare these models with our Hubble Space Telescope observations of star clusters in the Antennae galaxies over the mass-age domain in which we can readily distinguish clusters from individual stars: \tau\la10^7(M/10^4 M_{\odot})^{1.3} yr. We find that the models with mass-dependent disruption are poor fits to the data, even with complete freedom to adjust several parameters, while the model with mass-independent disruption is a good fit. The successful model has the simple form g(M,\tau) \propto M^{-2} \tau^{-1}, with power-law mass and age distributions, dN/dM propto M^{-2} and dN/d\tau\propto\tau^{-1}. The predicted luminosity function is also a power law, dN/dL \propto L^{-2}, in good agreement with our observations of the Antennae clusters. The similarity of the mass functions of star clusters and molecular clouds indicates that the efficiency of star formation in the clouds is roughly independent of their masses. The age distribution of the massive young clusters is plausibly explained by the following combination of disruption mechanisms: (1) removal of interstellar material by stellar feedback, \tau \la 10^7$ yr; (2) continued stellar mass loss, 10^7 yr \la \tau \la 10^8 yr; (3), tidal disturbances by passing molecular clouds, \tau \ga 10^8 yr. None of these processes is expected to have a strong dependence on mass, consistent with our observations of the Antennae clusters. We speculate that this simple picture also applies--at least approximately--to the clusters in many other galaxies.
We present Chandra X-ray observations of the powerful radio galaxy 3C171, which reveal an extended region of X-ray emission spatially associated with the well-known 10-kpc scale optical emission-line region around the radio jets. We argue that the X-ray emission comes from collisionally ionized material, originally cold gas that has been shock-heated by the passage of the radio jet, rather than being photoionized by nuclear radiation. This hot plasma is also responsible for the depolarization at low frequencies of the radio emission from the jet and hotspots, which allows us to estimate the magnetic field strength in the external medium. We show that it is likely that both the cold emission-line gas and the hot plasma in which it is embedded are being driven out of the host galaxy of 3C171 at supersonic speeds. A significant fraction of the total energy budget of the central AGN must have been expended in driving this massive outflow. We argue that 3C171, with its unusual radio morphology and the strong relation between the jet and large amounts of outflowing material, is a member of a class of radio galaxies in which there is strong interaction between the radio jets and cold material in the host galaxy; such objects may have been very much more common in the early universe.
The misalignment mechanism for axion production depends on the temperature-dependent axion mass. The latter has recently been determined within the interacting instanton liquid model (IILM), and provides for the first time a well-motivated axion mass for all temperatures. We reexamine the constraints placed on the axion parameter space in the light of this new mass function. We find an accurate and updated constraint $ f_a \le 2.8(\pm2)\times 10^{11}\units{GeV}$ or $m_a \ge 21(\pm2) \units{\mu eV}$ from the misalignment mechanism in the classic axion window (thermal scenario). However, this is superseded by axion string radiation which leads to $ f_a \lesssim 3.2^{+4}_{-2} \times 10^{10} \units{GeV}$ or $m_a \gtrsim 0.20 ^{+0.2}_{-0.1} \units{meV}$. In this analysis, we take care to precisely compute the effective degrees of freedom and, to fill a gap in the literature, we present accurate fitting formulas. We solve the evolution equations exactly, and find that analytic results used to date generally underestimate the full numerical solution by a factor 2-3. In the inflationary scenario, axions induce isocurvature fluctuations and constrain the allowed inflationary scale $H_I$. Taking anharmonic effects into account, we show that these bounds are actually weaker than previously computed. Considering the fine-tuning issue of the misalignment angle in the whole of the anthropic window, we derive new bounds which open up the inflationary window near $\theta_a \to \pi$. In particular, we find that inflationary dark matter axions can have masses as high as 0.01--1$\units{meV}$, covering the whole thermal axion range, with values of $H_I$ up to $10^9$GeV. Quantum fluctuations during inflation exclude dominant dark matter axions with masses above $m_a\lesssim 1$meV.
From multi-epoch adaptive optics imaging and integral field unit spectroscopy we report the discovery of an expanding and narrowly confined bipolar shell surrounding the helium nova V445 Puppis (Nova Puppis 2000). An equatorial dust disc obscures the nova remnant, and the outflow is characterised by a large polar outflow velocity of 6720 +/- 650 km/s and knots moving at even larger velocities of 8450 +/- 570 km/s. We derive an expansion parallax distance of 8.2 +/- 0.5 kpc and deduce a pre-outburst luminosity of the underlying binary of log L/L_Sun = 4.34 +/- 0.36. The derived luminosity suggests that V445 Puppis probably contains a massive white dwarf accreting at high rate from a helium star companion making it part of a population of binary stars that potentially lead to supernova Ia explosions due to accumulation of helium-rich material on the surface of a massive white dwarf.
Diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) at relativistic shocks is expected to be an important acceleration mechanism in a variety of astrophysical objects including extragalactic jets in active galactic nuclei and gamma ray bursts. These sources remain strong and interesting candidate sites for the generation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. In this paper, key predictions of DSA at relativistic shocks that are salient to the issue of cosmic ray ion and electron production are outlined. Results from a Monte Carlo simulation of such diffusive acceleration in test-particle, relativistic, oblique, MHD shocks are presented. Simulation output is described for both large angle and small angle scattering scenarios, and a variety of shock obliquities including superluminal regimes when the de Hoffman-Teller frame does not exist. The distribution function power-law indices compare favorably with results from other techniques. They are found to depend sensitively on the mean magnetic field orientation in the shock, and the nature of MHD turbulence that propagates along fields in shock environs. An interesting regime of flat spectrum generation is addressed, providing evidence for its origin being due to shock drift acceleration. The impact of these theoretical results on gamma-ray burst and blazar science is outlined. Specifically, Fermi gamma-ray observations of these cosmic sources are already providing significant constraints on important environmental quantities for relativistic shocks, namely the frequency of scattering and the level of field turbulence.
We report the first detection of the Zeeman effect in the 36 GHz Class I methanol maser line. The observations were carried out with 13 antennas of the EVLA toward the high mass star forming region M8E. Based on our adopted Zeeman splitting factor of $z = 1.7 Hz/mG, we detect a line of sight magnetic field of -31.3 +/- 3.5 mG and 20.2 +/- 3.5 mG to the northwest and southeast of the maser line peak respectively. This change in sign over a 1300 AU size scale may indicate that the masers are tracing two regions with different fields, or that the same field curves across the regions where the masers are being excited. The detected fields are not significantly different from the magnetic fields detected in the 6.7 GHz Class II methanol maser line, indicating that methanol masers may trace the large scale magnetic field, or that the magnetic field remains unchanged during the early evolution of star forming regions. Given what is known about the densities at which 36 GHz methanol masers are excited, we find that the magnetic field is dynamically significant in the star forming region.
We studied the role of fundamental constants in an updated recombination scenario, focusing on the time variation of the fine structure constant \alpha and the electron mass m_e in the early Universe. Using CMB data including WMAP 5-yr release, and the 2dFGRS power spectrum, we put bounds on variations of these constants, when both constants are allowed to vary, and in the case that only one of them is variable. In particular, we have found that -0.019 < \Delta \alpha / \alpha_0 < 0.017 (95% c.l.), in our joint estimation of \alpha and cosmological parameters. Finally, we analyze how the constraints depends on the recombination scenario.
We point out that mirror dark matter predicts low energy ($E_R \stackrel{<}{\sim} 2$ keV) electron recoils from mirror electron scattering as well as nuclear recoils from mirror ion scattering. The former effect is examined and applied to the recently released low energy electron recoil data from the CDMS collaboration. We speculate that the sharp rise in electron recoils seen in CDMS below 2 keV might be due to mirror electron scattering and show that the parameters suggested by the data are roughly consistent with the mirror dark matter explanation of the annual modulation signal observed in the DAMA/Libra and DAMA/NaI experiments. Thus, the CDMS data offer tentative evidence supporting the mirror dark matter explanation of the DAMA experiments, which can be more rigorously checked by future low energy electron recoil measurements.
Over almost all of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA or CMSSM) model parameter space, there is a large overabundance of neutralino cold dark matter (CDM). We find that the regions of mSUGRA parameter space which match the measured abundance of CDM in the universe are highly fine-tuned, unless \tan\beta is very large. If instead we invoke the Peccei-Quinn-Weinberg-Wilczek solution to the strong CP problem, then the SUSY CDM may consist of an axion/axino admixture with an axino mass of order the MeV scale, and where mixed axion/axino or mainly axion CDM seems preferred. In this case, fine-tuning of the relic density is very low, showing that axion/axino CDM (a\tilde{a}CDM) is to be preferred in the paradigm model for SUSY phenomenology. For mSUGRA with a\tilde{a}CDM, quite different regions of parameter space are now DM-favored as compared to the case of neutralino DM. Thus, rather different SUSY signatures are expected at the LHC in the case of mSUGRA with a\tilde{a}CDM, as compared to mSUGRA with neutralino CDM.
We investigate the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics, in the cosmological scenario where dark energy interacts with both dark matter and radiation. Calculating separately the entropy variation for each fluid component and for the apparent horizon itself, we show that the generalized second law is always and generally valid, independently of the specific interaction form, of the fluids equation-of-state parameters and of the background geometry. Finally, we find that if the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter takes a critical value in the phantom regime, then the total entropy of the universe remains constant.
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This study resolves a discrepancy in the abundance of Zr in the 47 Tucanae asymptotic giant branch star Lee 2525. This star was observed using the echelle spectrograph on the 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The analysis was undertaken by calibrating Lee 2525 with respect to the standard giant star Arcturus. This work emphasises the importance of using a standard star with stellar parameters comparable to the star under analysis rather than a calibration with respect to the Sun (Koch & McWilliam 2008). Systematic errors in the analysis process are then minimised due to the similarity in atmospheric structure between the standard and programme stars. The abundances derived for Lee 2525 were found to be in general agreement with the Brown & Wallerstein (1992) values except for Zr. In this study Zr has a similar enhancement ([Zr/Fe] = +0.51 dex) to another light s-process element, Y ([Y/Fe] = +0.53 dex), which reflects current theory regarding the enrichment of s-process elements by nuclear processes within AGB stars (Busso et al. 2001). This is contrary to the results of Brown & Wallerstein (1992) where Zr was under-abundant ([Zr/Fe] = +0.51 dex) and Y was over-abundant ([Y/Fe] = +0.50 dex) with respect to Fe.
Abundance anomalies observed in globular cluster stars indicate pollution
with material processed by hydrogen burning. Two main sources have been
suggested: asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and massive stars rotating near
the break-up limit (spin stars). We propose massive binaries as an alternative
source.
We compute the evolution of a 20 Msun star in a close binary and find that it
sheds about 10 Msun. The ejecta are enriched in He, N, Na, and Al and depleted
in C and O, similar to the abundance patterns observed in gobular cluster
stars. In contrast to the fast, radiatively driven winds of massive stars, this
material is typically ejected with low velocity. We expect that it remains
inside the potential well of a globular cluster and becomes available for the
formation or pollution of a second generation of stars.
We estimate that the amount of processed low-velocity material ejected by
massive binaries is greater than the contribution of AGB stars and spin stars
combined, assuming that the majority of massive stars in a proto-globular
cluster interact. If we take the possible contribution of intermediate mass
stars in binaries into account and assume that the ejecta are diluted with an
equal amount of unprocessed material, we find that this scenario can provide
enough material to form a second generation of low-mass stars, which is as
numerous as the first generation of low-mass stars. In this scenario there is
no need to make commonly adopted assumptions, such as preferential loss of the
first generation of stars, external pollution of the cluster, or an anomalous
initial mass function. [Abridged]
Stars do not form continuously distributed over star forming galaxies. They form in star clusters of different masses. This nature of clustered star formation is taken into account in the theory of the integrated galactic stellar initial mass function (IGIMF) in which the galaxy-wide IMF (the IGIMF) is calculated by adding all IMFs of young star clusters. For massive stars the IGIMF is steeper than the universal IMF in star clusters and steepens with decreasing SFR which is called the IGIMF-effect. The current SFR and the total Halpha luminosity of galaxies therefore scale non-linearly in the IGIMF theory compared to the classical case in which the galaxy-wide IMF is assumed to be constant and identical to the IMF in star clusters. We here apply for the first time the revised SFR-L_Halpha relation on a sample of local volume star forming galaxies with measured Halpha luminosities. The fundamental results are: i) the SFRs of galaxies scale linearly with the total galaxy neutral gas mass, ii) the gas depletion time scales of dwarf irregular and large disk galaxies are about 3 Gyr implying that dwarf galaxies do not have lower star formation efficiencies than large disk galaxies, and iii) the stellar mass buildup times of dwarf and large galaxies are only in agreement with downsizing in the IGIMF context, but contradict downsizing within the traditional framework that assumes a constant galaxy-wide IMF.
We investigate the correlation between FIR and radio luminosities in distant galaxies, a lynchpin of modern astronomy. We use data from BLAST, Spitzer, LABOCA, the VLA and the GMRT in the ECDFS. For a catalogue of BLAST 250um-selected galaxies, we re-measure the 70-870um flux densities at the positions of their most likely 24um counterparts, which have a median [interquartile] redshift of 0.74 [0.25, 1.57]. From these, we determine the monochromatic flux density ratio, q_250 (= log_10 [S_250um/S_1,400MHz]), and the bolometric equivalent, q_IR. At z~0.6, where our 250um filter probes rest-frame 160um emission, we find no evolution relative to q_160 for local galaxies. We also stack the FIR and submm images at the positions of 24um- and radio-selected galaxies. The difference between q_IR seen for 250um- and radio-selected galaxies suggests star formation provides most of the IR luminosity in <~100uJy radio galaxies, but rather less for those in the mJy regime. For the 24um sample, the radio spectral index is constant across 0 < z < 3, but q_IR exhibits a steady decline such that q_IR \propto (1+z)^(-0.15+/-0.03) - significant evolution, spanning the epoch of galaxy formation, with major implications for techniques that rely on the FIR/radio correlation. We compare with model predictions and speculate that we may be seeing the increase in radio activity that gives rise to the radio background.
We provide fits to the distribution of galaxy luminosity, size, velocity dispersion and stellar mass as a function of concentration index C_r and morphological type in the SDSS. We also quantify how estimates of the fraction of `early' or `late' type galaxies depend on whether the samples were cut in color, concentration or light profile shape, and compare with similar estimates based on morphology. Our fits show that Es account for about 20% of the r-band luminosity density, rho_Lr, and 25% of the stellar mass density, rho_*; including S0s and Sas increases these numbers to 33% and 40%, and 50% and 60%, respectively. Summed over all galaxy types, we find rho_* ~ 3 * 10^8 M_Sun Mpc^{-3} at z ~ 0. This is in good agreement with expectations based on integrating the star formation history. However, compared to most previous work, we find an excess of objects at large masses, up to a factor of ~ 10 at M_* ~ 5*10^{11} M_Sun. The stellar mass density further increases at large masses if we assume different IMFs for Es and spiral galaxies, as suggested by some recent chemical evolution models, and results in a better agreement with the dynamical mass function. We also show that the trend for ellipticity to decrease with luminosity is primarily because the E/S0 ratio increases at large L. However, the most massive galaxies, M_* > 5 * 10^{11} M_Sun, are less concentrated and not as round as expected if one extrapolates from lower L, and they are not well-fit by pure deVaucouleur laws. This suggests formation histories with recent radial mergers. Finally, we show that the age-size relation is flat for Es of fixed dynamical mass, but, at fixed M_dyn, S0s and Sas with large sizes tend to be younger. Explaining this difference between E and S0 formation is a new challenge for models of early-type galaxy formation.
We use new large area far infrared maps ranging from 65 - 500 microns obtained with the AKARI and the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) missions to characterize the dust emission toward the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant (SNR). Using the AKARI high resolution data we find a new "cool" dust grain population at a temperature of ~35 K and with an estimated mass of 0.06 solar masses. We conclude that this alone is sufficient to account for the lower limit on the dust masses seen in high-redshift galaxies and, when combined with the previously reported hot and cold dust masses, makes supernovae a plausible source of the high redshift dust. We fit our maps at 65, 90, 140, 250, 350, and 500 microns to obtain maps of the column density and temperature of cold dust (near 16 K) distributed throughout the region. The large column density of cold dust associated with clouds seen in molecular emission extends continuously from the surrounding interstellar medium to project on the SNR, where the foreground component of the clouds is also detectable through optical, X-ray, and molecular extinction. At the resolution available here, there is no morphological signature to isolate any cold dust associated only with the SNR from this confusing interstellar emission. Our fit also recovers the previously detected hot dust in the remnant, with characteristic temperature 90 K.
We report multi-wavelength power spectra of diffuse Galactic dust emission from BLAST observations at 250, 350, and 500 microns in Galactic Plane fields in Cygnus X and Aquila. These submillimeter power spectra statistically quantify the self-similar structure observable over a broad range of scales and can be used to assess the cirrus noise which limits the detection of faint point sources. The advent of submillimeter surveys with the Herschel Space Observatory makes the wavelength dependence a matter of interest. We show that the observed relative amplitudes of the power spectra can be related through a spectral energy distribution (SED). Fitting a simple modified black body to this SED, we find the dust temperature in Cygnus X to be 19.9 +/- 1.3 K and in the Aquila region 16.9 +/- 0.7 K. Our empirical estimates provide important new insight into the substantial cirrus noise that will be encountered in forthcoming observations.
The Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) carried out a 250, 350 and 500 micron survey of the galactic plane encompassing the Vela Molecular Ridge, with the primary goal of identifying the coldest, dense cores possibly associated with the earliest stages of star formation. Here we present the results from observations of the Vela-D region, covering about 4 square degrees, in which we find 141 BLAST cores. We exploit existing data taken with the Spitzer MIPS, IRAC and SEST-SIMBA instruments to constrain their (single-temperature) spectral energy distributions, assuming a dust emissivity index beta = 2.0. This combination of data allows us to determine the temperature, luminosity and mass of each BLAST core, and also enables us to separate starless from proto-stellar sources. We also analyze the effects that the uncertainties on the derived physical parameters of the individual sources have on the overall physical properties of starless and proto-stellar cores, and we find that there appear to be a smooth transition from the pre- to the proto-stellar phase. In particular, for proto-stellar cores we find a correlation between the MIPS24 flux, associated with the central protostar, and the temperature of the dust envelope. We also find that the core mass function of the Vela-D cores has a slope consistent with other similar (sub)millimeter surveys.
We analyse recently acquired near-infrared Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the GOODS-South field to search for star forming galaxies at z~7.0. By comparing WFC 3 0.98 micron Y-band images with ACS z-band (0.85 micron) images, we identify objects with colours consistent with Lyman break galaxies at z~6.4-7.4. This new data covers an area five times larger than that previously reported in the WFC3 imaging of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, and affords a valuable constraint on the bright end of the luminosity function. Using additional imaging of the region in the ACS B, V and i-bands from GOODS v2.0 and the WFC3 J-band we attempt to remove any low-redshift interlopers. Our selection criteria yields 6 candidates brighter than Y_AB = 27.0, of which all except one are detected in the ACS z-band imaging and are thus unlikely to be transients. Assuming all 6 candidates are at z~7 this implies a surface density of objects brighter than Y_AB = 27.0 of 0.30\pm0.12 arcmin-2, a value significantly smaller than the prediction from the z ~ 6 luminosity function. This suggests continued evolution of the bright end of the luminosity function between z = 6 to 7, with number densities lower at higher redshift.
We present observations at 1.2 mm with MAMBO-II of a sample of z>~2 radio-intermediate obscured quasars, as well as CO observations of two sources with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. Five out of 21 sources (24%) are detected at a significance of >=3sigma. Stacking all sources leads to a statistical detection of <S_1.2mm>= 0.96+-0.11 mJy and stacking only the non-detections also yields a statistical detection, with <S_1.2mm>= 0.51+-0.13 mJy. This corresponds to a typical far-infrared luminosity L_FIR~4x10^12 Lsol. If the far-infrared luminosity is powered entirely by star-formation, and not by AGN-heated dust, then the characteristic inferred star-formation rate is ~700 Msol yr-1. This far-infrared luminosity implies a dust mass of M_dust~3x10^8 Msol. We estimate that such large dust masses on kpc scales can plausibly cause the obscuration of the quasars. We present dust SEDs for our sample and derive a mean SED for our sample. This mean SED is not well fitted by clumpy torus models, unless additional extinction and far-infrared re-emission due to cool dust are included. There is a hint that the host galaxies of obscured quasars must have higher far-infrared luminosities and cool-dust masses and are therefore often found at an earlier evolutionary phase than those of unobscured quasars. For one source at z=2.767, we detect the CO(3-2) transition, with S_CO Delta nu=630+-50 mJy km s-1, corresponding to L_CO(3-2)= 3.2x10^7 Lsol, or L'_CO(3-2)=2.4x10^10 K km s-1 pc2. For another source at z=4.17, the lack of detection of the CO(4-3) line yields a limit of L'_CO(4-3)<1x10^10 K km s-1 pc2. Molecular gas masses, gas depletion timescales and gas-to-dust ratios are estimated (Abridged).
Galaxy groups are key tracers of galaxy evolution, cluster evolution, and structure formation, yet they are difficult to study at even moderate redshift. We have undertaken a project to observe a flux-limited sample of intermediate-redshift (0.1 < z < 0.5) group candidates identified by the XBootes Chandra survey. When complete, this project will nearly triple the current number of groups with measured temperatures in this redshift range. Here we present deep Suzaku/XIS and Chandra/ACIS follow-up observations of the first 10 targets in this project; all are confirmed sources of diffuse, thermal emission with derived temperatures and luminosities indicative of rich groups/poor clusters. By exploiting the multi-wavelength coverage of the XBootes/NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey (NDWFS) field, we aim to (1) constrain non-gravitational effects that alter the energetics of the intragroup medium, and (2) understand the physical connection between the X-ray and optical properties of groups. We discuss the properties of the current group sample in the context of observed cluster scaling relations and group and cluster evolution and outline the future plans for this project.
We report the results of spectroscopic mapping observations carried out toward protostellar outflows in the BHR71, L1157, L1448, NGC 2071, and VLA 1623 molecular regions using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) of the Spitzer Space Telescope. These observations, covering the 5.2 - 37 micron spectral region, provide detailed maps of the 8 lowest pure rotational lines of molecular hydrogen and of the [SI] 25.25 micron and [FeII] 26.0 micron fine structure lines. The molecular hydrogen lines, believed to account for a large fraction of the radiative cooling from warm molecular gas that has been heated by a non-dissociative shock, allow the energetics of the outflows to be elucidated. Within the regions mapped towards these 5 outflow sources, total H2 luminosities ranging from 0.02 to 0.75 L(solar) were inferred for the sum of the 8 lowest pure rotational transitions. By contrast, the much weaker [FeII] 26.0 micron fine structure transition traces faster, dissociative shocks; here, only a small fraction of the fast shock luminosity emerges as line radiation that can be detected with Spitzer/IRS.
We report results from a 2007 Suzaku observation of the Seyfert 1 AGN NGC 4593. The narrow Fe K alpha emission line has a FWHM width ~4000 km/s, indicating emission from >~ 5000 Rg. There is no evidence for a relativistically broadened Fe K line, consistent with the presence of a radiatively efficient outer disk which is truncated or transitions to an interior radiatively inefficient flow. The Suzaku observation caught the source in a low-flux state; compared to a 2002 XMM observation, the hard X-ray flux decreased by 3.6, while the Fe K alpha line intensity and width each roughly halved. Two model-dependent explanations for the changes in Fe line profile are explored. In one, the Fe line width has decreased from ~10000 to ~4000 km/s from 2002 to 2007, suggesting that the thin disk truncation/transition radius has increased from 1000-2000 to >~5000 Rg. However, there are indications from other compact accreting systems that such truncation radii tend to be associated only with accretion rates relative to Eddington much lower than that of NGC 4593. In the second (preferred) model, the line profile in the XMM observation consists of a time-invariant narrow component plus a broad component originating from the inner part of the truncated disk (~300 Rg) which has responded to the drop in continuum flux. The Compton reflection component strength R is ~1.1, consistent with the measured Fe K alpha line total EQW with an Fe abundance 1.7 times solar. The modest soft excess has fallen by a factor of ~20 from 2002 to 2007, ruling out emission from a region 5 lt-yr in size.
The diffusion of astrophysical magnetic fields in conducting fluids in the presence of turbulence depends on whether magnetic fields can change their topology or reconnect in highly conducting media. Recent progress in understanding fast magnetic reconnection in the presence of turbulence is reassuring that the magnetic field behavior in the computer simulations and turbulent astrophysical environments is similar, as far as the magnetic reconnection is concerned. Our studies of magnetic field diffusion in turbulent medium reveal interesting new phenomena. First of all, our 3D MHD simulations initiated with anti-correlating magnetic field and gaseous density exhibit at later times a de-correlation of the magnetic field and density, which corresponds well to the observations of the interstellar media. Contrary to the earlier claims on the role of the ambipolar diffusion for de-correlating magnetic field and density, we get the effect with one fluid code, i.e. without invoking ambipolar diffusion. In addition, in the presence of gravity and turbulence, our 3D simulations show the decrease of the flux-to-mass ratio as density at the center of gravitational potential increases. This effect is expected to play an important role on star formation, from its initial stages of concentrating of interstellar gas to the final stages of the accretion to the forming protostar.
The gravitational lens system CLASS B2108+213 has two radio-loud lensed images separated by 4.56 arcsec. The relatively large image separation implies that the lensing is caused by a group of galaxies. In this paper, new optical imaging and spectroscopic data for the lensing galaxies of B2108+213 and the surrounding field galaxies are presented. These data are used to investigate the mass and composition of the lensing structure. The redshift and stellar velocity dispersion of the main lensing galaxy (G1) are found to be z = 0.3648 +/- 0.0002 and sigma_v = 325 +/- 25 km/s, respectively. The optical spectrum of the lensed quasar shows no obvious emission or absorption features and is consistent with a BL Lac type radio source. However, the tentative detection of the G-band and Mg-b absorption lines, and a break in the spectrum of the host galaxy of the lensed quasar gives a likely source redshift of z = 0.67. Spectroscopy of the field around B2108+213 finds 51 galaxies at a similar redshift to G1, thus confirming that there is a much larger structure at z ~ 0.365 associated with this system. The width of the group velocity distribution is 694 +/- 93 km/s, but is non-Gaussian, implying that the structure is not yet viralized. The main lensing galaxy is also the brightest group member and has a surface brightness profile consistent with a typical cD galaxy. A lensing and dynamics analysis of the mass distribution, which also includes the newly found group members, finds that the logarithmic slope of the mass density profile is on average isothermal inside the Einstein radius, but steeper at the location of the Einstein radius. This apparent change in slope can be accounted for if an external convergence gradient, representing the underlying parent halo of the galaxy group, is included in the mass model.
OH maser emission at 1.67 GHz is known to be associated with regions of intense star formation within ULIRGs. As these galaxies are formed through violent mergers, studying the co-moving density of OH maser galaxies across cosmic time will allow the merger rate of the Universe to be determined in an independent way. This merger rate is an important parameter in galaxy formation and evolution scenarios. The sensitivity, wide field of view and spectral coverage of both APERTIF on the WSRT and ASKAP will allow for the first time all-sky blind surveys for OH maser galaxies to be carried out to redshift 1.4. We describe the prospects for such surveys, including the expected number of OH maser galaxies that will be discovered, and what limits can be placed on the OH maser luminosity function, and hence the merger rate out to redshift 1.4 with various survey strategies.
Despite the continuing importance of ground-based parallax measurements, few active programs remain. Because new members of the solar neighborhood tend towards later spectral types, infrared parallax programs are particularly desirable. To these ends, the astrometric quality of the new infrared camera developed by the Virginia Astronomical Instrumentation Laboratory for the 31-in (0.8-m) Tinsley reflector at Fan Mountain Observatory was assessed using 68 J-band exposures of an open cluster, NGC 2420, over a range of hour angles during 2005. Positions of 16 astrometric evaluation stars were measured and the repeatability of those positions was evaluated using the mean error in a single observation of unit weight. Overall, a precision of 1.3 +/- 0.7 microns in x (RA) and 1.3 +/- 0.8 microns in y (Dec) was attained, which corresponds to 0.04" +/- 0.02" in each axis. Although greater precision is expected from CCDs in the visual and near-infrared, this instrument can achieve precision similar to that of the ESO NTT infrared parallax program. Therefore, measuring parallaxes in the infrared would be feasible using this equipment. If initiated, such a program could provide needed distances for brown dwarfs and very low mass stars that would contribute significantly to the solar neighborhood census.
We present new observational determinations of the evolution of the 2-10keV X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of AGN. We utilise data from a number of surveys including both the 2Ms Chandra Deep Fields and the AEGIS-X 200ks survey, enabling accurate measurements of the evolution of the faint end of the XLF. We combine direct, hard X-ray selection and spectroscopic follow-up or photometric redshift estimates at z<1.2 with a rest-frame UV colour pre-selection approach at higher redshifts to avoid biases associated with catastrophic failure of the photometric redshifts. Only robust optical counterparts to X-ray sources are considered using a likelihood ratio matching technique. A Bayesian methodology is developed that considers redshift probability distributions, incorporates selection functions for our high redshift samples, and allows robust comparison of different evolutionary models. We find that the XLF retains the same shape at all redshifts, but undergoes strong luminosity evolution out to z~1, and an overall negative density evolution with increasing redshift, which thus dominates the evolution at earlier times. We do not find evidence that a Luminosity-Dependent Density Evolution, and the associated flattening of the faint-end slope, is required to describe the evolution of the XLF. We find significantly higher space densities of low-luminosity, high-redshift AGN than in prior studies, and a smaller shift in the peak of the number density to lower redshifts with decreasing luminosity. The total luminosity density of AGN peaks at z=1.2+/-0.1, but there is a mild decline to higher redshifts. We find >50% of black hole growth takes place at z>1, with around half in Lx<10^44 erg/s AGN.
Based on constraints from microlensing and disk stability, both with and without limitations from wide binary surveys, we estimate the total number and entropy of intermediate mass black holes. Given the visible universe comprises $10^{11}$ halos each of mass $\sim 10^{12} M_{\odot}$, typical core black holes of mean mass $\sim 10^7 M_{\odot}$ set the dimensionless entropy ($S/k$) of the universe at a thousand googols. Identification of all dark matter as black holes sets the dimensionless entropy of the universe at ten million googols, implying that dark matter can contribute over 99% of entropy, which favors all dark matter as black holes in the mass regime of $ \sim 10^{5} M_{\odot}$.
In this document we layout a new method to achieve "bona fide" high precision
Very-Long-Baseline-Interferometry (VLBI) astrometric measurements of
frequency-dependent positions of celestial sources (even) in the high
(mm-wavelength) frequency range, where conventional phase referencing
techniques fail. Our method, dubbed "Source/Frequency Phase Referencing" (SFPR)
combines fast frequency-switching (or dual-frequency observations) with the
source switching of conventional phase referencing techniques. The former is
used to calibrate the dominant highly unpredictable rapid atmospheric
fluctuations, which arise from variations of the water vapor content in the
troposphere, and ultimately limit the application of conventional phase
referencing techniques; the latter compensates the slower time scale remaining
ionospheric/instrumental, non-negligible, phase variations.
For cm-VLBI, the SFPR method is equivalent to conventional phase referencing
applied to the measurement of frequency-dependent source positions changes
("core-shifts"). For mm-VLBI, the SFPR method stands as the only approach which
will provide astrometry. In this memo we layout the scope and basis of our new
method, along with a description of the strategy and a successful demonstration
of the application of this new astrometric analysis technique to the highest
frequency VLBA observations, at 86 GHz. Our previous comparative astrometric
analysis of cm-VLBI observations, presented elsewhere, produced equivalent
results using both methods.
This document describes the advantages of applying "Source/Frequency Phase Referencing" (SFPR) techniques to the analysis of VLBI observations with VSOP-2, for high precision astrometric measurements and/or increased sensitivity. The SFPR calibration technique basics and a demonstration of the method applied to highest frequency VLBA observations are described in detail in VLBA Scientific Memo n. 31. Here we outline its importance in the context of space VLBI astrometry with VSOP-2, where errors in the satellite orbit determination and rapid tropospheric phase fluctuations set extreme challenges for the successful application of conventional phase referencing techniques, specially at the higher frequencies. SFPR is ideally suited for full calibration of those - regardless of the orbit determination accuracy - and, in general, of any non-dispersive terms. The requirements for application of SFPR techniques are fully compatible with current technical specifications of VSOP-2. Hence we foresee that SFPR will play an important role in helping expanding the scientific outcome of the space VLBI mission.
The Exo-Planet Imaging Camera and Spectrograph (EPICS) for the future 42-meter European-Extremely Large Telescope, will enable direct images, and spectra for both young and old Jupiter-mass planets in the infrared. To achieve the required contrast, several coronagraphic concepts -- to remove starlight -- are under investigation: conventional pupil apodization (CPA), apodized-pupil Lyot coronagraph (APLC), dual-zone coronagraph (DZC), four-quadrants phase mask (FQPM), multi-stages FQPM, annular groove phase mask (AGPM), high order optical vortex (OVC), and band-limited coronagraph (BLC). Recent experiment demonstrated the interest of an halftone-dot process -- namely microdots technique -- to generate the adequate transmission profile of pupil apodizers for CPA, APLC, and DZC concepts. Here, we examine the use of this technique to produce band-limited focal plane masks, and present guidelines for the design. Additionally, we present the first near-IR laboratory results with BLCs that confirm the microdots approach as a suitable technique for ground-based observations.
In the context of the AMIGA project, we used Fabry-Perot observations in
order to study the dynamics of the ionised gas in the isolated galaxy CIG 0314.
From the Halpha observations, we could obtain the velocity field and rotation
curve of the galaxy. A detail analysis of the velocity field is done in order
to understand the kinematics of the gas to gather clues on the mechanisms which
favour or inhibit star formation, in particular along the bar. The visible and
dark matter content can be reached, as well as an estimation of the mass of the
galaxy.
In a case study (June 6-7, 2008) we report on how the internal structure of a coronal mass ejection (CME) at 1 AU can be anticipated from remote observations of white-light images of the heliosphere. Favorable circumstances are the absence of fast equatorial solar wind streams and a low CME velocity which allow us to relate the imaging and in-situ data in a straightforward way. The STEREO-B spacecraft encountered typical signatures of a magnetic flux rope inside an interplanetary CME (ICME) whose axis was inclined at 45 degree to the solar equatorial plane. Various CME direction-finding techniques yield consistent results to within 15 degree. Further, remote images from STEREO-A show that (1) the CME is unambiguously connected to the ICME and can be tracked all the way to 1 AU, (2) the particular arc-like morphology of the CME points to an inclined axis, and (3) the three-part structure of the CME may be plausibly related to the in situ data. This is a first step in predicting both the direction of travel and the internal structure of CMEs from complete remote observations between the Sun and 1 AU, which is one of the main requirements for forecasting the geo-effectiveness of CMEs.
The fraction of available telescope time is one of the most important
requirements for selecting astronomical sites affecting the performance of
ground based telescopes. A quantitative survey of clouds coverage at La Palma
and Mt.Graham is presented using both ground and satellite based data. The aim
of this work is deriving clear nights for the satellite infrared channels and
verifying the results using ground based observations. At La Palma we found a
mean percentage of clear nights of 62.6% from ground and 71.9% from satellite.
Taking into account the fraction of common nights we found a concordance of
80.7% clear nights from ground and satellite.
At Mt.Graham we found a 97% of agreement between Columbine heliograph and
night time observing log. From Columbine heliograph and TOMS-OMI satellite we
found about 45% of clear nights, while satellite data (GOES, TOMS) are much
more dispersed than those ones of La Palma. Setting a statistical threshold we
retried a comparable seasonal trend between heliograph and satellite.
One important prediction of acceleration of particles in the supernova caused shock in the magnetic wind of exploding Wolf Rayet and Red Super Giant stars is the production of an energetic particle component with an E^-2 spectrum, at a level of a few percent in flux at injection. After allowing for transport effects, so steepening the spectrum to E^-7/3, this component of electrons produces electromagnetic radiation and readily explains the WMAP haze from the Galactic Center region in spectrum, intensity and radial profile. This requires the diffusion time scale for cosmic rays in the Galactic Center region to be much shorter than in the Solar neighborhood: the energy for cosmic ray electrons at the transition between diffusion dominance and loss dominance is shifted to considerably higher particle energy. We predict that more precise observations will find a radio spectrum of \nu^-2/3, at higher frequencies \nu^-1, and at yet higher frequencies finally \nu^-3/2.
In the 5-year WMAP data analysis, a new parametrization form for dark energy equation-of-state was used, and it has been shown that the equation-of-state, $w(z)$, crosses the cosmological-constant boundary $w=-1$. Based on this observation, in this paper, we investigate the reconstruction of quintom dark energy model. As a single-real-scalar-field model of dark energy, the generalized ghost condensate model provides us with a successful mechanism for realizing the quintom-like behavior. Therefore, we reconstruct this scalar-field quintom dark energy model from the WMAP 5-year observational results. As a comparison, we also discuss the quintom reconstruction based on other specific dark energy ansatzs, such as the CPL parametrization and the holographic dark energy scenarios.
Recent spectro-polarimetric observations have provided detailed measurements of magnetic field, velocity and intensity during events of magnetic field intensification in the solar photosphere. We consider the temporal evolution of the relevant physical quantities for three cases of magnetic field intensification in a numerical simulation. We determine the evolution of the intensity, magnetic flux density and zero-crossing velocity derived from the synthetic Stokes parameters by taking into account the spectral and spatial resolution of the spectropolarimeter (SP) on board Hinode. The three events considered show a similar evolution: advection of magnetic flux to a granular vertex, development of a strong downflow, evacuation of the magnetic feature, increase of the field strength and the appearance of the bright point. We find that synthetic and real observations are qualitatively consistent and, for one of the cases considered, agree very well also quantitatively. The effect of finite resolution (spatial smearing) is most pronounced in the case of small features, for which the synthetic Hinode/SP observations miss the bright point formation and also the high-velocity downflows during the formation of the smaller magnetic features.
SMM J04542-0301 is an extended (~1 arcmin) sub-mm source located near the core of the cluster MS0451.6-0305. It has been suggested that part of its emission arises from the interaction between a LBG and two EROs at z~2.9 that are multiply-imaged. However, the dramatic resolution difference between the sub-mm map and the optical/NIR images make it difficult to confirm this hypothesis. In this paper, we present a deep (~ 10 microJy/beam), high resolution (~2 arcsec) 1.4 GHz radio map of the cluster core, in which we have identified 6 sources located within SMM J04542-0301. The strong lensing effect in the radio data has been quantified by constructing a new lens model of the cluster. The brightest and most extended of these sources (RJ) is located in the middle of the sub-mm emission, and has no obvious counterpart in the optical/NIR. Three other detections (E1, E2 and E3) seem to be associated with the images of one of the EROs. The last two detections (CR1 and CR2), for which no optical/NIR counterpart have been found, seem to constitute two relatively compact emitting regions embedded in a ~5 arcsec extended radio source located at the position of the sub-mm peak. The presence of this extended component can only be explained if it is being produced by a lensed region of dust obscured star formation in the center of the merger. A comparison between the radio and sub-mm data at the same resolution suggests that E1, E2, E3, CR1 and CR2 are associated with the sub-mm emission. The radio observations provide strong observational evidence in favor of the merger hypothesis. However, the question if RJ is also contributing to the observed sub-mm emission remains open. These results illustrate the promising prospects for radio interferometry and strong gravitational lensing to study the internal structure of SMGs.
In addition to the maximum likelihood approach, there are two other methods which are commonly used to reconstruct the true redshift distribution from photometric redshift datasets: one uses a deconvolution method, and the other a convolution. We show how these two techniques are related, and how this relationship can be extended to the study of galaxy scaling relations in photometric datasets. We also argue that the convolution based approach may permit a more efficient selection of the objects for which calibration spectra are required.
Although primarily aimed at the galactic archeology and evolution, automated all-sky spectroscopic surveys (RAVE, SDSS) are also a valuable source for the binary star research community. Identification of double-lined spectra is easy and it is not limited by the rare occurrences of eclipses. When the spectrum is properly classified, its atmospheric parameters can be calculated by comparing the spectrum with the best fit atmosphere model. We present the analysis of the binary stars from the sample of roughly 250.000 RAVE survey spectra. The classification and binary discovery method is based on the correlation function analysis. The comparison of these spectra with the model shows that it is possible to estimate the essential atmospheric parameters relatively well. Large number of such estimates and the fact that RAVE consists of a magnitude selected sample without any color cuts makes it suitable for a binary star population study.
We report the results of a search for 12.2-GHz methanol maser emission, targeted towards 113 known 6.7-GHz methanol masers associated with 1.2-mm dust continuum emission. Observations were carried out with the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) Parkes 64-m radio telescope in the period 2008 June 20 - 25. We detect 68 12.2-GHz methanol masers with flux densities in excess of our 5-sigma detection limit of 0.55 Jy, 30 of which are new discoveries. This equates to a detection rate of 60 per cent, similar to previous searches of comparable sensitivity. We have made a statistical investigation of the properties of the 1.2-mm dust clumps with and without associated 6.7-GHz methanol maser and find that 6.7-GHz methanol masers are associated with 1.2-mm dust clumps with high flux densities, masses and radii. We additionally find that 6.7-GHz methanol masers with higher peak luminosities are associated with less dense 1.2-mm dust clumps than those 6.7-GHz methanol masers with lower luminosities. We suggest that this indicates that more luminous 6.7-GHz methanol masers are generally associated with a later evolutionary phase of massive star formation than less luminous 6.7-GHz methanol maser sources. Analysis of the 6.7-GHz associated 1.2-mm dust clumps with and without associated 12.2-GHz methanol maser emission shows that clumps associated with both class II methanol maser transitions are less dense than those with no associated 12.2-GHz methanol maser emission; suggesting that 12.2-GHz methanol masers are associated with a later evolutionary phase of massive star formation. We present an evolutionary sequence for masers in high-mass star formation regions, placing quantitative estimates on the relative lifetimes for the first time.
The coupling between time-dependent, multidimensional MHD numerical codes and radiative line emission is of utmost importance in the studies of the interplay between dynamical and radiative processes in many astrophysical environments, with particular interest for problems involving radiative shocks. There is a widespread consensus that line emitting knots observed in Herbig-Haro jets can be interpreted as radiative shocks. In this paper we address two different aspects relevant to the time-dependent calculations of the line intensity ratios of forbidden transitions, resulting from the excitation by planar, time-dependent radiative shocks traveling in a stratified medium. The first one concerns the impact of the radiation and ionization processes included in the cooling model, and the second one the effects of the numerical grid resolution. In this paper we apply the AMR methodology to the treatment of radiating shocks and show how this method is able to vastly reduce the integration time. The technique is applied to the knots of the HH 30 jet to obtain the observed line intensity ratios and derive the physical parameters, such as density, temperature and ionization fraction. We consider the impact of two different cooling functions and different grid resolutions on the results. We conclude that the use of different cooling routines has effects on results whose weight depends upon the line ratio considered. Moreover, we find the minimum numerical resolution of the simulation grid behind the shock to achieve convergence in the results. This is crucial for the forthcoming 2D calculations of radiative shocks.
(abridged) We investigate the regularity of cluster pressure profiles with REXCESS, a representative sample of 33 local clusters observed with XMM-Newton. The sample spans a mass range of 10^14 M_sun <M_500<10^15 M_sun. We derive an average profile from observations scaled by mass and z according to the standard self-similar model, and find that the dispersion about the mean is remarkably low beyond 0.2R_500, but increases towards the centre. Deviations about the mean are related to both the mass and the thermo-dynamical state of the cluster. Unrelaxed systems have systematically shallower profiles while cooling core systems are more concentrated. The scaled profiles exhibit a residual mass dependence with a slope of about 0.12; however, the departure from standard scaling decreases with radius and is consistent with zero at R_500. The scatter in the core and departure from self-similar mass scaling is smaller compared to that of the entropy profiles, showing that the pressure is the quantity least affected by dynamical history and non-gravitational physics. Comparison with several state of the art numerical simulations shows good agreement outside the core. Combining the observational data below R_500 with simulation data above, we derive the universal pressure profile, that, in an analytical form, defines the physical pressure profile of clusters as a function of mass and z up to the cluster 'boundary'. Using this profile and the observed pressure profiles, we investigate the scaling properties of the integrated Compton parameter Y, considering both the spherically integrated quantity and the cylindrically integrated quantity, directly related to the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signal. We further derive the expected Y_SZ-M_500 and Y_SZ-L_X relations for any aperture.
Using new and published photometric observations of mu1 Sco (HR 6247), spanning 70 years, a period of 1.4462700(5) days was determined. It was found that the epoch of primary minimum suggested by Shobbrook at HJD 2449534.178 requires an adjustment to HJD 2449534.17700(9) to align all the available photometric datasets. Using the resulting combined-data light-curve, radial velocities derived from IUE data and the modelling software PHOEBE, a new system solution for this binary was obtained. It appears that the secondary is close to, or just filling, its Roche-lobe.
We present the luminosity function and selection function of 60 micron
galaxies selected from the Imperial IRAS-FSC Redshift Catalogue (IIFSCz). Three
methods, including the 1/Vmax} and the parametric and non-parametric maximum
likelihood estimator, are used and results agree well with each other. A
density evolution proportional to (1+z)^3.4 or a luminosity evolution exp(1.7
t_L / \tau)$ where t_L is the look-back time is detected in the full sample in
the redshift range [0.02, 0.1], consistent with previous analyses. Of the four
infrared subpopulations, cirrus-type galaxies and M82-type starbursts show
similar evolutionary trends, galaxies with significant AGN contributions show
stronger positive evolution and Arp 220-type starbursts exhibit strong negative
evolution. The dominant subpopulation changes from cirrus-type galaxies to
M82-type starbursts at log (L_60 / L_Sun) ~ 10.3.
In the second half of the paper, we derive the projected two-point spatial
correlation function for galaxies of different infrared template type. The mean
relative bias between cirrus-type galaxies and M82-type starbursts, which
correspond to quiescent galaxies with optically thin interstellar dust and
actively star-forming galaxies respectively, is calculated to be around 1.25.
The relation between current star formation rate (SFR) in star-forming galaxies
and environment is investigated by looking at the the dependence of clustering
on infrared luminosity. We found that M82-type actively star-forming galaxies
show stronger clustering as infrared luminosity / SFR increases. The
correlation between clustering strength and SFR in the local Universe seems to
echo the basic trend seen in star-forming galaxies in the Great Observatories
Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) fields at z ~ 1.
We report the detection in Ks-band of the secondary eclipse of the hot Jupiter CoRoT-1b, from time series photometry with the ARC 3.5-m telescope at Apache Point Observatory. The eclipse shows a depth of 0.336+/-0.042 percent and is centered at phase 0.5022 (+0.0023,-0.0027), consistent with a zero eccentricity orbit ecos{\omega} = 0.0035 (+0.0036,-0.0042). We perform the first optical to near-infrared multi-band photometric analysis of an exoplanet's atmosphere and constrain the reflected and thermal emissions by combining our result with the recent 0.6, 0.71, and 2.09 micron secondary eclipse detections by Snellen et al. (2009), Gillon et al. (2009), and Alonso et al. (2009a). Comparing the multi-wavelength detections to state-of-the-art radiative-convective chemical-equilibrium atmosphere models, we find the near-infrared fluxes difficult to reproduce. The closest blackbody-based and physical models provide the following atmosphere parameters: a temperature T = 2454 (+84,-170) K, a very low Bond albedo A_B = 0.000 (+0.087,-0.000), and an energy redistribution parameter P_n = 0.1, indicating a small but nonzero amount of heat transfer from the day- to night-side. The best physical model suggests a thermal inversion layer with an extra optical absorber of opacity kappa_e =0.05cm^2g^-1, placed near the 0.1-bar atmospheric pressure level. This inversion layer is located ten times deeper in the atmosphere than the absorbers used in models to fit mid-infrared Spitzer detections of other irradiated hot Jupiters.
We report new estimates of the time delays in the quadruple gravitationally lensed quasar PG1115+080, obtained from the monitoring data in filter R with the 1.5-m telescope at the Maidanak Mountain (Uzbekistan, Central Asia) in 2004-2006. The time delays are 16.4 days between images C and B, and 12 days between C and A1+A2, with image C being leading for both pairs. The only known estimates of the time delays in PG1115 are those based on observations by Schechter et al. (1997) -- 23.7 and 9.4 days between images C and B, C and A1+A2, respectively, as calculated by Schechter et al., and 25 and 13.3 days as revised by Barkana (1997) for the same image components with the use of another method. The new values of time delays in PG 1115+080 may be expected to provide larger estimates of the Hubble constant thus decreasing a diversity between the H_0 estimates taken from gravitationally lensed quasars and with other methods.
The NEMO Collaboration installed and operated an underwater detector including prototypes of the critical elements of a possible underwater km3 neutrino telescope: a four-floor tower (called Mini-Tower) and a Junction Box. The detector was developed to test some of the main systems of the km3 detector, including the data transmission, the power distribution, the timing calibration and the acoustic positioning systems as well as to verify the capabilities of a single tridimensional detection structure to reconstruct muon tracks. We present results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Mini-Tower. The position of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) is determined through the acoustic position system. Signals detected with PMTs are used to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. The angular distribution of atmospheric muons was measured and results compared with Monte Carlo simulations.
We present a detailed survey of the dynamical structure of the phase space around the new moons of the Pluto - Charon system. The spatial elliptic restricted three-body problem was used as model and stability maps were created by chaos indicators. The orbital elements of the moons are in the stable domain both on the semimajor axis - eccentricity and - inclination spaces. The structures related to the 4:1 and 6:1 mean motion resonances are clearly visible on the maps. They do not contain the positions of the moons, confirming previous studies. We showed the possibility that Nix might be in the 4:1 resonance if its argument of pericenter or longitude of node falls in a certain range. The results strongly suggest that Hydra is not in the 6:1 resonance for arbitrary values of the argument of pericenter or longitude of node.
The pressureless Euler equations can be used as simple models of cosmology or
plasma physics. In this paper, we construct the exact solutions in non-radial
symmetry to the pressureless Euler equations in $R^{N}:$% \begin{equation}
\{\begin{array} [c]{c}%
\rho(t,\vec{x})=\frac{f(\frac{1}{a(t)^{s}}\underset{i=1}{\overset
{N}{\sum}}x_{i}^{s})}{a(t)^{N}}\text{,}\vec{u}(t,\vec{x}%
)=\frac{\overset{\cdot}{a}(t)}{a(t)}\vec{x}, a(t)=a_{1}+a_{2}t, \end{array}.
\label{eq234}% \end{equation} where the arbitrary function $f\geq0$ and $f\in
C^{1};$ $s\geq1$, $a_{1}>0$ and $a_{2}$ are constants$.$\newline In particular,
for $a_{2}<0$, the solutions blow up on the finite time $T=-a_{1}/a_{2}$.
Moreover, the functions (\ref{eq234}) are also the solutions to the
pressureless Navier-Stokes equations.
The 6307A emission line in the spectrum of Eta Car (Martin et al. 2006) is blue-shifted [S III] 6313A emission originating from the outer wind structures of the massive binary system. We realized the identfication while analyzing multiple forbidden emission lines not normally seen in the spectra of massive stars. The high spatial and moderate spectral resolutions of HST/STIS resolve forbidden lines of Fe+, N+, Fe++, S++, Ne++ and Ar++ into spatially and velocity-resolved rope-like features originating from collisionally-excited ions photo-ionized by UV photons or collisions. While the [Fe II] emission extends across a velocity range of +/-500 km/s out to 0."7, more highly ionized forbidden emissions are systematically blue-shifted (-500 to +200 km/s) and extend only to 0."4. The [Fe II] defines the outer regions of the massive primary wind. The [N II], [Fe III] emission define the the outer wind interaction regions directly photo-ionized by far-UV radiation. Variations in emission of [S III] 9533A, 9071A and 6313A suggest density ranges of 10^6 to 10^10 cm^-3 for electron temperatures ranging from 8,000 to 13,000K. Mapping the temporal changes of the emission structure at critical phases of the 5.54-year period will provide important diagnostics of the interacting winds.
We present the kinematical properties, distribution of spectroscopic subtypes, stellar population subcomponents of the white dwarfs within 20 pc of the sun. We find no convincing evidence of halo white dwarfs in the total 20 pc sample of 129 white dwarfs nor is there convincing evidence of genuine thick disk subcomponent members within 20 parsecs. Virtually the entire 20 pc sample likely belongs to the thin disk. The total DA to non-DA ratio of the 20 pc sample is 1.6, a manifestation of deepening envelope convection which transforms DA stars with sufficiently thin H surface layers into non-DAs. The addition of 5 new stars to the 20 pc sample yields a revised local space density of white dwarfs of $4.9\pm0.5 \times 10^{-3}$ M$_{\sun}$/yr and a corresponding mass density of $3.3\pm0.3 \times 10^{-3}$ M$_{\sun}$/pc$^{3}$. We find that at least 15% of the white dwarfs within 20 parsecs of the sun (the DAZ and DZ stars) have photospheric metals that possibly originate from accretion of circumstellar material (debris disks) around them. If this interpretation is correct, this suggests the possibility that the same percentage have planets or asteroid-like bodies orbiting them.
To study the possible origin of the huge helium enrichment attributed to the stars on the blue main sequence of Omega Centauri, we make use of a chemical evolution model that has proven able to reproduce other major observed properties of the cluster, namely, its stellar metallicity distribution function, age-metallicity relation and trends of several abundance ratios with metallicity. In this framework, the key condition to satisfy all the available observational constraints is that a galactic-scale outflow develops in a much more massive parent system, as a consequence of multiple supernova explosions in a shallow potential well. This galactic wind must carry out preferentially the metals produced by explosive nucleosynthesis in supernovae, whereas elements restored to the interstellar medium through low-energy stellar winds by both asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and massive stars must be mostly retained. Assuming that helium is ejected through slow winds by both AGB stars and fast rotating massive stars (FRMSs), the interstellar medium of Omega Centauri's parent galaxy gets naturally enriched in helium in the course of its evolution.
We present results of a search for objects with H-alpha excess, such as cataclysmic variables (CVs) and chromospherically active binaries (ABs), as counterparts to X-ray sources detected with Chandra satellite observatory in six Galactic globular clusters (GCs): M4, M28, M30, M71, M80, NGC 6752. Binary systems play a critical role in the evolution of GCs, serving as an internal energy source countering the tendency of GC cores to collapse. Theoretical studies predict dozens of CVs in the cores of some GCs (e.g., 130 for M28, 40 for M30). A number of such binaries is also expected outside the core radius. However, few CVs are known so far in GCs. Using subtraction technique applied to images taken with the 4.1-m SOAR telescope we have found 27 objects with H-alpha excess in the field of the observed clusters, of which nine are likely associated with the clusters. Four are candidate CVs, four candidate ABs, one could be either a CV or an AB. One H-alpha object seems to be a background galaxy, while other 17 detected objects are probably foreground or background stars.
We use the number density of peaks in the smoothed cosmological density field taken from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey to constrain parameters related to the power spectrum of mass fluctuations, n (the spectral index), dn/d(lnk) (rolling in the spectral index), and the neutrino mass, m_nu. In a companion paper we use N-body simulations to study how the peak density responds to changes in the power spectrum, the presence of redshift distortions and the relationship between galaxies and dark matter halos. In the present paper we make measurements of the peak density from 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey data, for a range of smoothing filter scales from 4-33 h^-1 Mpc. We use these measurements to constrain the cosmological parameters, finding n=1.36 (+0.75)(-0.64), m_nu < 1.76 eV, dn/d(lnk)=-0.012 (+0.192)(-0.208), at the 68 % confidence level, where m_nu is the total mass of three massive neutrinos. At 95% confidence we find m_nu< 2.48 eV. These measurements represent an alternative way to constrain cosmological parameters to the usual direct fits to the galaxy power spectrum, and are expected to be relatively insensitive to non-linear clustering evolution and galaxy biasing.
We describe an extension of the hadronic SU(3) non-linear sigma model to include quarks. As a result, we obtain an effective model which interpolates between hadronic and quark degrees of freedom. The new parameters and the potential for the Polyakov loop (used as the order parameter for deconfinement) are calibrated in order to fit lattice QCD data and reproduce the QCD phase diagram. Finally, the equation of state provided by the model, combined with gravity through the inclusion of general relativity, is used to make predictions for neutron stars.
Analyses of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation maps made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) have revealed anomalies not predicted by the standard inflationary cosmology. In particular, the power of the quadrupole moment of the CMB fluctuations is remarkably low, and the quadrupole and octopole moments are aligned mutually and with the geometry of the Solar system. It has been suggested in the literature that microwave sky pollution by an unidentified dust cloud in the vicinity of the Solar system may be the cause for these anomalies. In this paper, we simulate the thermal emission by clouds of spherical homogeneous particles of several materials. Spectral constraints from the WMAP multi-wavelength data and earlier infrared observations on the hypothetical dust cloud are used to determine the dust cloud's physical characteristics. In order for its emissivity to demonstrate a flat, CMB-like wavelength dependence over the WMAP wavelengths (3 through 14 mm), and to be invisible in the infrared light, its particles must be macroscopic. Silicate spheres from several millimetres in size and carbonaceous particles an order of magnitude smaller will suffice. According to our estimates of the abundance of such particles in the Zodiacal cloud and trans-neptunian belt, yielding the optical depths of the order of 1E-7 for each cloud, the Solar-system dust can well contribute 10 microKelvin (within an order of magnitude) in the microwaves. This is not only intriguingly close to the magnitude of the anomalies (about 30 microKelvin), but also alarmingly above the presently believed magnitude of systematic biases of the WMAP results (below 5 microKelvin) and, to an even greater degree, of the future missions with higher sensitivities, e.g. PLANCK.
We report a relation between radio emission in the inner jet of the Seyfert galaxy 3C 120 and optical continuum emission in this galaxy. Combining the optical variability data with multi-epoch high-resolution very long baseline interferometry observations reveals that the flaring optical emission is generated during passages of a dense relativistic plasma condensations through a stationary emitting region located in the inner jet, at a distance of ~1.3 parsecs from the jet origin. This indicates that a significant fraction of the optical continuum produced in 3C 120 is non-thermal and it can ionize material in a sub-relativistic wind or outflow. We discuss implications of this finding for the ionization and structure of the broad emission line region, as well as for the use of broad emission lines for determining black hole masses in radio-loud AGN.
Spectral evolution models are a widely used tool for determining the stellar content of galaxies. I provide a review of the latest developments in stellar atmosphere and evolution models, with an emphasis on massive stars. In contrast to the situation for low- and intermediate mass stars, the current main challenge for spectral synthesis models are the uncertainties and rapid revision of current stellar evolution models. Spectral libraries, in particular those drawn from theoretical model atmospheres for hot stars, are relatively mature and can complement empirical templates for larger parameter space coverage. I introduce a new ultraviolet spectral library based on theoretical radiation-hydrodynamic atmospheres for hot massive stars. Application of this library to star-forming galaxies at high redshift, i.e., Lyman-break galaxies, will provide new insights into the abundances, initial mass function and ages of stars in the very early universe.
Automated search for star clusters in J,H,K_s data from 2MASS catalog has been performed using the method developed by Koposov et. al (2008). We have found and verified 153 new clusters in the interval of the galactic latitude -24 < b < 24 degrees. Color excesses E(B-V), distance moduli and ages were determined for 130 new and 14 yet-unstudied known clusters. In this paper, we publish a catalog of coordinates, diameters, and main parameters of all the clusters under study. A special web-site available at this http URL has been developed to facilitate dissemination and scientific usage of the results.
Since the PAMELA results on the anomalously high positron fraction and the lack of antiproton excess in our Galaxy, there has been a tremendous number of studies advocating new types of dark matter, with larger couplings to electrons than to quarks. Is this feature a bad sign for the dark matter detection prospects at LHC? Since the WIMP couplings to quarks are constrained by PAMELA, the question of the production of dark matter (and heavy associated coloured states) at LHC definitely arises. Here we show that, despite the agreement between the PAMELA antiproton measurements and the expected astrophysical secondary background, the WIMP couplings to heavy quarks can actually be larger than the strong coupling constant. Thus PAMELA pbar/p measurements are not really challenging dark matter models. In addition, large values of the WIMP coupling to quarks suggest that heavy couloured states might be produced significantly in quark-quark collisions. We therefore investigate if this is an interesting channel to study at LHC. Finally, our analysis delineates the region of parameter space which both saturates the limits from PAMELA pbar/p measurements and jeopardizes the conventional scenario for WIMP thermal decoupling in the early universe.
We investigate the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations for the generalized Chaplygin gas (gCg) with the aim of extending the findings of \cite{Gorini:2008zj}. We investigate both the standard case, where we reproduce some previous results, and the phantom case. In the phantom case we show that even a superluminal group velocity arising for $\alpha > 1$ cannot prevent the divergence of the pressure at a finite radial distance. Finally, we study how a modification of the gCg equation of state, required by causality arguments at densities very close to $\Lambda$, affects the results found so far.
The 14C(alpha,gamma) reaction rate at temperatures below 0.3 GK depends on the properties of two near threshold resonances in 18O, the 1- at 6.198 MeV and the 3- at 6.404 MeV. The alpha+14C Asymptotic Normalization Coefficients (ANCs) for these resonances were determined using the alpha-transfer reactions 14C(7Li,t) and 14C(6Li,d) at sub-Coulomb energies. The 14C(alpha,gamma) reaction rate at low temperatures has been evaluated. Implications of the new reaction rate on the evolution of accreting helium white dwarfs and on the nucleosynthesis of low mass stars during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase are discussed.
Georges Lemaitre introduced the term "phoenix universe" to describe an oscillatory cosmology with alternating periods of gravitational collapse and expansion. This model is ruled out observationally because it requires a supercritical mass density and cannot accommodate dark energy. However, a new cyclic theory of the universe has been proposed that evades these problems. In a recent elaboration of this picture, almost the entire universe observed today is fated to become entrapped inside black holes, but a tiny region will emerge from these ashes like a phoenix to form an even larger smooth, flat universe filled with galaxies, stars, planets, and, presumably, life. Survival depends crucially on dark energy and suggests a reason why its density is small and positive today.
I describe the conceptual and mathematical basis of an approach which describes gravity as an emergent phenomenon. Combining principle of equivalence and principle of general covariance with known properties of local Rindler horizons, perceived by observers accelerated with respect to local inertial frames, one can prove that the field equations describing gravity in any diffeomorphism invariant theory can be given a thermodynamic re-interpretation. This fact, in turn, leads us to the possibility of deriving the field equations of gravity by maximising a suitably defined entropy functional, without using the metric tensor as a dynamical variable. The approach synthesises concepts from quantum theory, thermodynamics and gravity leading to a fresh perspective on the nature of gravity. The description is presented here in the form of a dialogue, thereby addressing several frequently-asked-questions.
If the cosmological inflationary scenario took place in the cosmic landscape in string theory, the inflaton, the scalar mode responsible for inflation, would have meandered in a complicated multi-dimensional potential. We show that this meandering property naturally leads to many e-folds of inflation, a necessary condition for a successful inflationary scenario. This behavior also leads to fluctuations in the primordial power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which may be detected in a near future cosmic variance limited experiment like PLANCK.
We consider the renormalization group improvement in the theory of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson playing the role of an inflaton with a strong non-minimal coupling to gravity. It suggests the range of the Higgs mass $135.6 {\rm GeV} \lesssim M_H\lesssim 184.5 {\rm GeV}$ entirely determined by the lower WMAP bound on the CMB spectral index. We find the phenomenon of asymptotic freedom induced by this non-minimal curvature coupling, which brings the theory to the weak coupling domain. Asymptotic freedom fails at the boundaries of this domain, which makes the SM phenomenology sensitive to the current cosmological data and thus suggests future more precise CMB measurements as a SM test complementary to the LHC program.
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Radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres is usually treated in the static limit, i.e., neglecting atmospheric motions. We argue that hot Jupiter atmospheres, with possibly fast (sonic) wind speeds, may require a more strongly coupled treatment, formally in the regime of radiation-hydrodynamics. To lowest order in v/c, relativistic Doppler shifts distort line profiles along optical paths with finite wind velocity gradients. This leads to flow-dependent deviations in the effective emission and absorption properties of the atmospheric medium. Evaluating the overall impact of these distortions on the radiative structure of a dynamic atmosphere is non-trivial. We present transmissivity and systematic equivalent width excess calculations which suggest possibly important consequences for radiation transport in hot Jupiter atmospheres. If winds are fast and bulk Doppler shifts are indeed important for the global radiative balance, accurate modeling and reliable data interpretation for hot Jupiter atmospheres may prove challenging: it would involve anisotropic and dynamic radiative transfer in a coupled radiation-hydrodynamical flow. On the bright side, it would also imply that the emergent properties of hot Jupiter atmospheres are more direct tracers of their atmospheric flows than is the case for Solar System planets. Radiation-hydrodynamics may also influence radiative transfer in other classes of hot exoplanetary atmospheres with fast winds.
We present a new method to retrieve molecular abundances and temperature profiles from exoplanet atmosphere photometry and spectroscopy. We run millions of 1D atmosphere models in order to cover the large range of allowed parameter space, and present error contours in the atmospheric properties, given the data. In order to run such a large number of models, we have developed a parametric pressure-temperature (P-T) profile coupled with line-by-line radiative transfer, hydrostatic equilibrium, and energy balance, along with prescriptions for non-equilibrium molecular composition and energy redistribution. We apply our temperature and abundance retrieval method to the atmospheres of two transiting exoplanets, HD 189733b and HD 209458b, which have the best available Spitzer and HST observations. For HD 189733b, we find efficient day-night redistribution of energy in the atmosphere, and molecular abundance constraints confirming the presence of H2O, CO, CH4, and CO2. For HD 209458b, we confirm and constrain the day-side thermal inversion in an average 1D temperature profile. We also report detection of H2O, CO, CH4, and CO2 on the dayside of HD 209458b. We report constraints for HD 189733b due to individual data sets separately; a few key observations are variable in different data sets at similar wavelengths. Moreover, a noticeably strong carbon dioxide absorption in one data set is significantly weaker in another. We must, therefore, acknowledge the strong possibility that the atmosphere is variable, both in its energy redistribution state and in the chemical abundances.
We present a new mass estimate for the Hercules dwarf spheroidal galaxy
(dSph), based on the revised velocity dispersion obtained by Aden et al. (2009,
arXiv:0908.3489).
The removal of a significant foreground contamination using newly acquired
Stromgren photometry has resulted in a reduced velocity dispersion. Using this
new velocity dispersion of 3.72 +/- 0.91 km/s, we find a mass of
M_300=1.9^{+1.1}_{-0.8} 10^6 M_sun within the central 300 pc, which is also the
half-light radius, and a mass of M_433=3.7_{-1.6}^{+2.2} 10^6 M_sun within the
reach of our data to 433 pc, significantly lower than previous estimates. We
derive an overall mass-to-light ratio of M_433/L=103^{+83}_{-48} M_sun/L_sun.
Our mass estimate calls into question recent claims of a common mass scale for
dSph galaxies.
Additionally, we find tentative evidence for a velocity gradient in our
kinematic data of 16 +/- 3 km/s/kpc, and evidence of an asymmetric extension in
the light distribution at about 0.5 kpc. We explore the possibility that these
features are due to tidal interactions with the Milky Way. We show that there
is a self-consistent model in which Hercules has an assumed tidal radius of r_t
= 485 pc, an orbital pericentre of r_p = 18.5 +/- 5 kpc, and a mass within r_t
of M_{tid,r_t}=5.2 +/- 2.7 10^6 M_sun. Proper motions are required to test this
model. Although we cannot exclude models in which Hercules contains no dark
matter, we argue that Hercules is more likely to be a dark matter dominated
system which is currently experiencing some tidal disturbance of its outer
parts.
We present milliarcsecond-resolution radio very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the ultracool dwarfs TVLM513-46546 (M8.5) and 2MASS J00361617+1821104 (L3.5) in an attempt to detect sub-stellar companions via direct imaging or reflex motion. Both objects are known radio emitters with strong evidence for periodic emission on timescales of about 2 and 3 hours, respectively. Using the inner seven VLBA antennas, we detect unresolved emission from TVLM513-46546 on a scale of 2.5 mas (~50 stellar radii), leading to a direct limit on the radio emission brightness temperature of T_B > 4x10^5 K. However, with the higher spatial resolution afforded by the full VLBA we find that the source appears to be marginally and asymmetrically resolved at a low S/N ratio, possibly indicating that TVLM513-46546 is a binary with a projected separation of ~1 mas (~20 stellar radii). Using the 7-hour baseline of our observation we find no astrometric shift in the position of TVLM513-46546, with a 3-sigma limit of about 0.6 mas. This is about 3 times larger than expected for an equal mass companion with a few-hour orbital period. Future monitoring of its position on a range of timescales will provide the required astrometric sensitivity to detect a planetary companion with a mass of ~10 M_J in a >15 d (>0.06 AU) orbit, or with a mass of ~2 M_J in an orbit of >0.5 yr (>0.3 AU).
The so-called corner turning problem is a major bottleneck for radio telescopes with large numbers of antennae. The problem is essentially that of rapidly transposing a matrix that is too large to store on one single device; in radio interferometry, it occurs because data from each antenna needs to be routed to an array of processors that will each handle a limited frequency band. We present a low-cost solution allowing the correlator to transpose its data in real time, without contending for bandwidth, via a butterfly network requiring neither additional RAM memory nor expensive general-purpose switching hardware. We discuss possible implementations of this using FPGA, CMOS, analog logic and optical technology, and conclude that the corner turner cost can be small even for upcoming massive radio arrays.
We present HST UV/optical imaging, Spitzer mid-IR photometry, and optical spectroscopy of a sample of 30 low-redshift (z=0.1-0.3) galaxies chosen from SDSS/GALEX to be accurate local analogs of the high-z Lyman Break Galaxies. The Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs) are similar in mass, metallicity, dust, SFR, size and gas velocity dispersion, thus enabling a detailed investigation of processes that are important at high-z. The optical emission line properties of LBAs are also similar to those of LBGs, indicating comparable conditions in their ISM. In the UV, LBAs are characterized by complexes of massive star-forming "clumps", while in the optical they most often show evidence for (post-)mergers/interactions. In 6 cases, we find an extremely massive (>10^9 Msun) compact (R~100 pc) dominant central object (DCO). The DCOs are preferentially found in LBAs with the highest mid-IR luminosities and correspondingly high SFRs (15-100 Msun/yr). We show that the massive SF clumps (including the DCOs) have masses much larger than the nuclear super star clusters seen in normal late type galaxies. However, the DCOs have masses, sizes, and densities similar to the excess-light/central-cusps seen in typical elliptical galaxies with masses similar to the LBA galaxies. We suggest that the DCOs form in present-day examples of the dissipative mergers at high redshift that are believed to have produced the central-cusps in local ellipticals. More generally, the properties of the LBAs are consistent with the idea that instabilities in a gas-rich disk lead to very massive star-forming clumps that eventually coalesce to form a spheroid. We speculate that the DCOs are too young at present to be growing a supermassive black hole because they are still in a supernova-dominated outflow phase.
In scalar-tensor theories the scalar fields generically couple nontrivially to gravity. We study the observable properties of inflationary models with non-minimally coupled inflaton and Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) kinetic term. Within the assumptions of the priors of our Monte-Carlo simulations we find these models can generate new interesting observable signatures. Our discussion focuses on string theory inspired effective field theory models of relativistic D-brane inflation. While successful string theory constructions of ultra-violet DBI brane inflation remain elusive, we show that in suitable regions of the parameter space it is possible to use cosmological observables to probe the non-minimial coupling. Fortunately, the most observationally promising range of parameters include models yielding intermediate levels of non-gaussianity in the range consistent with WMAP 5-year data, and to be constrained further by the Planck satellite.
The fourth part of the OGLE-III Catalog of Variable Stars presents 91 995
long-period variables (LPVs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This sample
consists of 79 200 OGLE Small Amplitude Red Giants (OSARGs), 11 128 semiregular
variables (SRVs) and 1667 Mira stars. The catalog data include basic
photometric and astrometric properties of these stars, long-term multi-epoch VI
photometry and finding charts.
We describe the methods used for the identification and classification of
LPVs. The distribution of I-band amplitudes for carbon-rich stars shows two
maxima, corresponding to Miras and SRVs. Such a distinction between Miras and
SRVs is not obvious for oxygen-rich stars. We notice additional
period-luminosity sequence located between Wood's sequences C and C' and
populated by SRVs.
We present a follow-up study of a series of papers concerning the role of close interactions as a possible triggering mechanism of the activity of AGN and starburst (SB) galaxies. We have already studied the close (<100 kpc) and the large scale (<1 Mpc) environment of Sy1, Sy2 and Bright IRAS galaxies and their respective control samples (Koulouridis et al.). The results led us to the conclusion that a close encounter appears capable of activating a sequence where a normal galaxy becomes first a starburst, then a Sy2 and finally a Sy1 galaxy. However since both galaxies of an interacting pair should be affected, we present here optical spectroscopy and X-ray imaging of the neighbouring galaxies around our Seyfert and BIRG galaxy samples. We find that more than 70% of all neighbouring galaxies exhibit thermal or/and nuclear activity (namely enhanced star formation, starbursting and/or AGN) and furthermore we discovered various trends regarding the type and strength of the neighbour's activity with respect to the activity of the central galaxy, the most important of which is that the neighbours of Sy2 are systematically more ionized, and their straburst is younger, than the neighbours of Sy1s. Our results not only strengthen the link between close galaxy interactions and activity but also provide more clues regarding the evolutionary sequence inferred by previous results.
The existence of black holes of masses ~ 10^3-10^4 Msun has important implications for the formation and evolution of star clusters and galaxies. The strongest candidate so far is the hyperluminous X-ray source HLX1, apparently located in the S0-a galaxy ESO 243-49, but the lack of an identifiable optical counterpart had hampered its interpretation. Using the Magellan telescope, we discovered an unresolved optical source with R = (24.6 +/- 0.2) mag and V = (25.4 +/- 0.3) mag within the X-ray error circle. This implies an X-ray/optical flux ratio ~ 1000. Taking the same distance as ESO 243-49, we obtain an intrinsic brightness M_R = (-10.2 +/- 0.3) mag. With the combined optical and X-ray measurements, we put constraints on the nature of HLX1. We rule out a foreground star and a background AGN. A foreground accreting neutron star is unlikely but cannot be completely ruled out. We also examined the properties of the host galaxy by combining Swift/UVOT observations with stellar population modelling. We found that the overall emission from ES0 243-49 is dominated by a ~ 2-5 Gyr old stellar population, but the far-UV emission is mostly due to ongoing star-formation at a rate of ~ 0.03 Msun/yr. There is a 15% excess above the mean in the far-UV emission North East of the nucleus, towards HLX1, which we interpret as evidence of more recent or intense star formation in that region. The brightness of the optical counterpart is comparable to that of massive globular clusters. We suggest that HLX1 could be an accreting intermediate mass black hole in a star cluster. The cluster could also be the stripped nucleus of a dwarf galaxy as it passed through ESO 243-49, an event which might have caused the current episode of star formation along its trail.
In this conference proceedings article I summarize the recent work of Murphy (2009) which presents physically motivated predictions for the evolution of the Far-Infrared--radio correlation as a function of redshift arising from variations in the cosmic-ray (CR) electron cooling time-scales as Inverse Compton (IC) scattering off of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) becomes increasingly important. Since the non-thermal component of a galaxy's radio continuum is increasingly suppressed with redshift, radio continuum measurements at moderately high frequency ($\sim$10 GHz) become one of the cleanest ways to quantify the star formation activity of galaxies at high redshifts unbiased by dust. Given the focus of the conference, extra emphasis placed on what this may mean for deep radio continuum surveys using next generation radio facilities such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
We present a high-resolution spectrum of a microlensed G dwarf in the Galactic bulge with spectroscopic temperature T_eff = 5600 +/- 180 K. This I~21 mag star was magnified by a factor ranging from 1160 to 1300 at the time of observation. Its high metallicity ([Fe/H] = 0.33 +/- 0.15) places this star at the upper end of the bulge giant metallicity distribution. Using a K-S test, we find a 1.6% probability that the published microlensed bulge dwarfs share an underlying distribution with bulge giants, properly accounting for a radial bulge metallicity gradient. We obtain abundance measurements for 15 elements and perform a rigorous error analysis that includes covariances between parameters. This star, like bulge giants with the same metallicity, shows no alpha enhancement. It confirms the chemical abundance trends observed in previously analyzed bulge dwarfs. At supersolar metallicities, we observe a discrepancy between bulge giant and bulge dwarf Na abundances.
A convincing detection of primordial non-Gaussianity in the local form of the bispectrum, whose amplitude is given by the fNL parameter, offers a powerful test of inflation. In this paper we calculate the modification of two-point cross-correlation statistics of weak lensing - galaxy-galaxy lensing and galaxy-Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) cross-correlation - due to fNL. We derive and calculate the covariance matrix of galaxy-galaxy lensing including cosmic variance terms. We focus on large scales (l<100) for which the shape noise of the shear measurement becomes irrelevant and cosmic variance dominates the error budget. For a modest degree of non-Gaussianity, fNL=+/-50, modifications of the galaxy-galaxy lensing signal at the 10% level are seen on scales R~300 Mpc, and grow rapidly toward larger scales as \propto R^2. We also see a clear signature of the baryonic acoustic oscillation feature in the matter power spectrum at ~150 Mpc, which can be measured by next-generation lensing experiments. In addition we can probe the local-form primordial non-Gaussianity in the galaxy-CMB lensing signal by correlating the lensing potential reconstructed from CMB with high-z galaxies. For example, for fNL=+/-50, we find that the galaxy-CMB lensing cross power spectrum is modified by ~10% at l~40, and by a factor of two at l~10, for a population of galaxies at z=2 with a bias of 2. The effect is greater for more highly biased populations at larger z; thus, high-z galaxy surveys cross-correlated with CMB offer a yet another probe of primordial non-Gaussianity.
We model the optical to far-infrared SEDs of a sample of six type-1 and six type-2 quasars selected in the mid-infrared. The objects in our sample are matched in mid-IR luminosity and selected based on their Spitzer IRAC colors. We obtained new targeted Spitzer IRS and MIPS observations and used archival photometry to examine the optical to far-IR SEDs. We investigate whether the observed differences between samples are consistent with orientation-based unification schemes. The type-1 objects show significant emission at 3 micron. They do not show strong PAH emission and have less far-IR emission on average when compared to the type-2 objects. The SEDs of the type-2 objects show a wide assortment of silicate features, ranging from weak emission to deep silicate absorption. Some also show strong PAH features. In comparison, silicate is only seen in emission in the type-1 objects. This is consistent with some of the type-2s being reddened by a foreground screen of cooler dust, perhaps in the host galaxy itself. We investigate the AGN contribution to the far-IR emission and find it to be significant. We also estimate the star formation rate for each of the objects by integrating the modeled far-IR flux and compare this with the SFR found from PAH emission. We find the type-2 quasars have a higher average SFR than the type-1 quasars based on both methods, though this could be due to differences in bolometric luminosities of the objects. While we find pronounced differences between the two types of objects, none of them are inconsistent with orientation-based unification schemes.
We investigated the non-thermal hard X-ray emission in the Ophiuchus cluster of galaxies. Our aim was to characterise the physical properties of the non-thermal component and its interaction with the Cosmic Microwave Background. We performed spatially resolved spectroscopy and imaging using XMM-Newton data in order to model the thermal emission. Combining this with INTEGRAL ISGRI data we modeled the 0.6-140 keV band total emission in the central 7 arcmin region. The models that best describe both PN and ISGRI data contain a power-law component with a photon index in a range 2.2-2.5. This component produces ~10% of the total flux in the 1-10 keV band. The pressure of the non-thermal electrons is ~1% of that of the thermal electrons. Our results support the scenario whereby a relativistic electron population, which produces the recently detected radio mini-halo in Ophiuchus, also produces the hard X-rays via Inverse Compton Scattering of the CMB photons. The best-fit models imply a differential momentum spectrum of the relativistic electrons with a slope of 3.4-4.0 and a magnetic field strength B=0.05-0.15 microG. The lack of evidence for a recent major merger in the Ophiuchus center allows the possibility that the relativistic electrons are produced by turbulence or hadronic collisions.
Globular clusters (GCs) are spheroidal concentrations typically containing of the order of 10^5 to 10^6, predominantly old, stars. Historically, they have been considered as the closest counterparts of the idealized concept of "simple stellar populations." However, some recent observations suggest than, at least in some GCs, some stars are present that have been formed with material processed by a previous generation of stars. In this sense, it has also been suggested that such material might be enriched in helium, and that blue horizontal branch stars in some GCs should accordingly be the natural progeny of such helium-enhanced stars. In this contribution we show that, at least in the case of M3 (NGC 5272), the suggested level of helium enrichment is not supported by the available, high-precision observations.
Globular clusters have long been considered the closest approximation to a physicist's laboratory in astrophysics, and as such a near-ideal laboratory for (low-mass) stellar evolution. However, recent observations have cast a shadow on this long-standing paradigm, suggesting the presence of multiple populations with widely different abundance patterns, and -- crucially -- with widely different helium abundances as well. In this review we discuss which features of the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram may be used as helium abundance indicators, and present an overview of available constraints on the helium abundance in globular clusters.
Based on the physical model of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth via gas accretion in a circumnuclear disk (CND) proposed by Kawakatu & Wada (2008), we describe the formation of high-$z$ ($z > 6$) quasars (QSOs) whose BH masses are M_{BH}> 10^{9} M_{\odot}. We derive the necessary conditions to form QSOs at z > 6 by only gas accretion: (i) A large mass supply with M_{sup} > 10^{10}M_{\odot} from host galaxies to CNDs, because the final BH mass is only 1-10% of the total supplied mass from QSO hosts. (ii) High star formation efficiency for a rapid BH growth. We also find that if the BH growth is limited by the Eddington accretion, the final BH mass is greatly suppressed. Thus, the super-Eddington growth is required for the QSO formation. The evolution of the QSO luminosity depends on the redshift z_{i} at which accretion onto a seed BH is initiated. In other words, the brighter QSOs at z >6 favor the late growth of SMBHs (i.e., z_{i}=10) rather than early growth (i.e., z_{i}=30). Moreover, we predict the observable properties and the evolution of QSOs at z >6. In a QSO phase, there should exist a stellar rich massive CND, whose gas mass is about 10% of the dynamical mass inside 0.1-1 kpc}. On the other hand, in a phase where the BH grows (i.e., a proto-QSO phase), the proto-QSO has a gas rich massive CNDs whose gas mass is comparable to the dynamical mass (abridged).
The Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) installed at the Dunn Solar Telescope of the NSO/SP is used to investigate the morphology and dynamics of the lower chromosphere and the virtually non-magnetic fluctosphere below. The study addresses in particular the structure of magnetic elements that extend into these layers. We choose different quiet Sun regions in and outside coronal holes. In inter-network regions with no significant magnetic flux contributions above the detection limit of IBIS, we find intensity structures with the characteristics of a shock wave pattern. The magnetic flux elements in the network are long lived and seem to resemble the spatially extended counterparts to the underlying photospheric magnetic elements. We suggest a modification to common methods to derive the line-of-sight magnetic field strength and explain some of the difficulties in deriving the magnetic field vector from observations of the fluctosphere.
Is the turbulence in cluster-forming regions internally driven by stellar outflows or the consequence of a large-scale turbulent cascade? We address this question by studying the turbulent energy spectrum in NGC 1333. Using synthetic 13CO maps computed with a snapshot of a supersonic turbulence simulation, we show that the VCS method of Lazarian and Pogosyan provides an accurate estimate of the turbulent energy spectrum. We then apply this method to the 13CO map of NGC 1333 from the COMPLETE database. We find the turbulent energy spectrum is a power law, E(k)~k^-beta, in the range of scales 0.06 pc < \ell <1.5 pc, with slope beta=1.85 +- 0.04. The estimated energy injection scale of stellar outflows in NGC 1333 is \ell_inj ~ 0.3 pc, well resolved by the observations. There is no evidence of the flattening of the energy spectrum above the scale \ell_inj predicted by outflow-driven simulations and analytical models. The power spectrum of integrated intensity is also a nearly perfect power law in the range of scales 0.16 pc < \ell < 7.9 pc, with no feature above \ell_inj. We conclude that the observed turbulence in NGC 1333 cannot be driven primarily by stellar outflows.
While it is well known that neutrinos are emitted from standard core collapse protoneutron star supernovae, less attention has been focused on neutrinos from accretion disks. These disks occur in some supernovae (i.e. "collapsars") as well as in compact object mergers, and they emit neutrinos with similar properties to those from protoneutron star supernovae. These disks and their neutrinos play an important role in our understanding of gamma ray bursts as well as the nucleosynthesis they produce. We study a disk that forms in the merger of a black hole and a neutron star and examine the neutrino fluxes, luminosities and neutrino surfaces for the disk. We also estimate the number of events that would be registered in current and proposed supernova neutrino detectors if such an event were to occur in the Galaxy.
Model Production Function chronology uses dynamic models of the Main Belt Asteroids (MBAs) and Near Earth Objects (NEOs) to derive the impactor flux to a target body. This is converted into the crater size-frequency-distribution for a specific planetary surface, and calibrated using the radiometric ages of different regions of the Moon's surface. This new approach has been applied to the crater counts on Mariner 10 images of the highlands and of several large impact basins on Mercury. MPF estimates for the plains show younger ages than those of previous chronologies. Assuming a variable uppermost layering of the Hermean crust, the age of the Caloris interior plains may be as young as 3.59 Ga, in agreement with MESSENGER results that imply that long-term volcanism overcame contractional tectonics. The MPF chronology also suggests a variable projectile flux through time, coherent with the MBAs for ancient periods and then gradually comparable also to the NEOs.
The large scatters of luminosity relations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been one of the most important reasons that prevent the extensive applications of GRBs in cosmology. In this paper, we extend the two-dimensional (2D) luminosity relations with $\tau_{\mathrm{lag}}$, $V$, $E_{\mathrm{peak}}$, and $\tau_{\mathrm{RT}}$ as the luminosity indicators to three dimensions (3D) using the same set of luminosity indicators to explore the possibility of decreasing the intrinsic scatters. We find that, for the 3D luminosity relations between the luminosity and an energy scale ($E_{\mathrm{peak}}$) and a time scale ($\tau_{\mathrm{lag}}$ or $\tau_{\mathrm{RT}}$), their intrinsic scatters are considerably smaller than those of corresponding 2D luminosity relations. Enlightened by the result and the definition of the luminosity (energy released in units of time), we discussed possible reasons behind, which may give us helpful suggestions on seeking more precise luminosity relations for GRBs in the future.
The Effelsberg-Bonn HI Survey (EBHIS) covers the whole sky north of Dec(2000) = -5 deg. on a fully sampled angular grid. Using state-of-the-art FPGA-spectrometers we perform a Milky Way and an extragalactic HI survey in parallel. Moreover, the high dynamic range and short dump time of the HI spectra allow to overcome the vast majority of all radio-frequency-interference (RFI) events. The Milky Way data will be corrected for the stray-radiation bias which warrants a main-beam efficiency of 99%. Towards the whole survey area we exceed the sensitivity limit of HIPASS, while towards the Sloan-Digital-Sky-Survey (SDSS) area EBHIS offers an order of magnitude higher mass sensitivity. The Milky Way data will be a cornerstone for multi-frequency astrophysics, while the extragalactic part will disclose detailed information on the structure formation of the local universe.
Due to its unique long-term coverage and high photometric precision,
observations from the Kepler asteroseismic investigation will provide us with
the possibility to sound stellar cycles in a number of solar-type stars with
asteroseismology. By comparing these measurements with conventional
ground-based chromospheric activity measurements we might be able to increase
our understanding of the relation between the chromospheric changes and the
changes in the eigenmodes.
In parallel with the Kepler observations we have therefore started a
programme at the Nordic Optical Telescope to observe and monitor chromospheric
activity in the stars that are most likely to be selected for observations for
the whole satellite mission. The ground-based observations presented here can
be used both to guide the selection of the special Kepler targets and as the
first step in a monitoring programme for stellar cycles. Also, the
chromospheric activity measurements obtained from the ground-based observations
can be compared with stellar parameters such as ages and rotation in order to
improve stellar evolution models.
A modified f(R) gravity model has been recently proposed in Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 221101 (2009) [arXiv:0905.1941] whose cosmological behaviour is clearly distinguishable from LCDM. Contrary to previous opinions which consider that self-consistent f(R) gravity models distinct from LCDM are almost ruled out, the authors claim that the proposed model is cosmologically viable. Here we show that although the model satisfies some consistency conditions, precisely because of its departure from LCDM behaviour, it does not satisfy local gravity constraints and, in addition, the predicted matter power spectrum conflicts with SDSS data.
In most Delta Scuti stars, the measured period changes are considerably larger than those expected from stellar evolution. In order to study these period and amplitude changes, a few selected stars are measured photometrically for hundreds of nights with a dedicated telescope. These measurements cover several years or decades. The Delta Scuti stars provide more information (than classical pulsators) since a number of simultaneously excited radial and nonradial modes can be studied. The present results indicate the presence of at least two effects: beating of independent modes with close frequencies and stellar cycles. For period and amplitude changes with time scales less than one year, we confirm the beating hypothesis in three stars. This is shown by the correctly correlated relationship between amplitude and phase changes as well as the repetitions of these cycles. However, the observed period variations with longer time scales are not due to simple beating between two close frequencies. For the star 4 CVn we can derive accurate annual frequency values for at least seven radial and nonradial modes. The annual phases are in excellent agreement with predictions from nearby years, thereby confirming the values and their observed long-term changes. For prograde and retrograde modes, the period variations are of identical size, but with opposite signs. The radial mode shows no (or little) changes. Furthermore, all period variations show a reversal around 1990. These results suggest long-term, regular cycles affecting individual modes differently with some common systematic behavior.
We present an analysis of timing residual (noise) of 54 pulsars obtained from 25-m radio telescope at Urumqi Observatory with a time span of 5~8 years, dealing with statistics of the Hurst parameter. The majority of these pulsars were selected to have timing noise that look like white noise rather than smooth curves. The results are compared with artificial series of different constant pairwise covariances. Despite the noise like appearance, many timing residual series showed Hurst parameters significantly deviated from that of independent series. We concluded that Hurst parameter may be capable of detecting dependence in timing residual and of distinguishing chaotic behavior from random processes.
The evolution of AGN in groups and clusters provides important information about how their black holes grow, the extent to which galaxies and black holes coevolve in dense environments, and has implications for feedback in the local universe and at the epoch of cluster assembly. I describe new observations and analysis that demonstrates that the AGN fraction in clusters increases by a factor of eight from the local universe to z~1 and that this evolution is consistent with the evolution of star-forming galaxies in clusters. The cluster AGN fraction remains approximately an order of magnitude below the field AGN fraction over this entire range, while a preliminary analysis of groups indicates that they too undergo substantial evolution.
We analyze a vast light curve database by obtaining mean rotational properties of the entire sample, determining the spin frequency distribution and comparing those data with a simple model based on hydrostatic equilibrium. For the rotation periods, the mean value obtained is 6.95 h for the whole sample, 6.88 h for the Trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) alone and 6.75 h for the Centaurs. From Maxwellian fits to the rotational frequencies distribution the mean rotation rates are 7.35 h for the entire sample, 7.71 h for the TNOs alone and 8.95 h for the Centaurs. These results are obtained by taking into account the criteria of considering a single-peak light curve for objects with amplitudes lower than 0.15 mag and a double-peak light curve for objects with variability >0.15mag. The best Maxwellian fits were obtained with the threshold between 0.10 and 0.15mag. The mean light-curve amplitude for the entire sample is 0.26 mag, 0.25mag for TNOs only, and 0.26mag for the Centaurs. The amplitude versus Hv correlation clearly indicates that the smaller (and collisionally evolved) objects are more elongated than the bigger ones. From the model results, it appears that hydrostatic equilibrium can explain the statistical results of almost the entire sample, which means hydrostatic equilibrium is probably reached by almost all TNOs in the H range [-1,7]. This implies that for plausible albedos of 0.04 to 0.20, objects with diameters from 300km to even 100km would likely be in equilibrium. Thus, the great majority of objects would qualify as being dwarf planets because they would meet the hydrostatic equilibrium condition. The best model density corresponds to 1100 kg/m3.
In this work we study the internal spatial structure of 16 open clusters in the Milky Way spanning a wide range of ages. For this, we use the minimum spanning tree method (the Q parameter, which enables one to classify the star distribution as either radially or fractally clustered), King profile fitting, and the correlation dimension (Dc) for those clusters with fractal patterns. On average, clusters with fractal-like structure are younger than those exhibiting radial star density profiles. There is a significant correlation between Q and the cluster age measured in crossing time units. For fractal clusters there is a significant correlation between the fractal dimension and age. These results support the idea that stars in new-born clusters likely follow the fractal patterns of their parent molecular clouds, and eventually evolve toward more centrally concentrated structures. However, there can exist stellar clusters as old as 100 Myr that have not totally destroyed their fractal structure. Finally, we have found the intriguing result that the lowest fractal dimensions obtained for the open clusters seem to be considerably smaller than the average value measured in galactic molecular cloud complexes.
We present a set of predictions for weak lensing correlation functions in the context of modified gravity models, including a prescription for the impact of the nonlinear power spectrum regime in these models. We consider the DGP and f(R) models, together with dark energy models with the same expansion history. We use the requirement that gravity is close to GR on small scales to estimate the non-linear power for these models. We then calculate weak lensing statistics, showing their behaviour as a function of scale and redshift, and present predictions for measurement accuracy with future lensing surveys, taking into account cosmic variance and galaxy shape noise. We demonstrate the improved discriminatory power of weak lensing for testing modified gravities once the nonlinear power spectrum contribution has been included. We also examine the ability of future lensing surveys to constrain a parameterisation of the non-linear power spectrum, including sensitivity to the growth factor.
We report the results of our intensive intranight optical monitoring of 8 `radio-intermediate quasars' (RIQs) having flat or inverted radio spectra. The monitoring was carried out in {\it R-} band on 25 nights during 2005-09. An intranight optical variability (INOV) detection threshold of $\sim$ 1--2% was achieved for the densely sampled differential light curves (DLCs). These observations amount to a large increase over those reported hitherto for this rare and sparsely studied class of quasars which can, however, play an important role in understanding the link between the dominant varieties of powerful AGN, namely the radio-quiet quasars (RQQs), radio-loud quasars (RLQs) and blazars. Despite the probable presence of relativistically boosted nuclear jets, clear evidence for INOV in our extensive observations was detected only on one night. These results demonstrate that as a class, RIQs are much less extreme in nuclear activity compared to blazars. The availability in the literature of INOV data for another 2 RIQs conforming to our selection criteria allowed us to enlarge the sample to 10 RIQs (monitored on a total of 42 nights for a minimum duration of $\sim 4$ hours per night). The absence of large amplitude INOV $(\psi > 3%)$ persists in this enlarged sample. This extensive database has enabled us to arrive at the first estimate for the INOV Duty Cycle (DC) of RIQs. The DC is found to be small ($\sim$ 9%). The corresponding value is known to be $\sim 60%$ for BL Lacs and $\approx 15%$ for RLQs and RQQs. On longer-term, the RIQs are found to be fairly variable with typical amplitudes of $\approx$ 0.1-mag. The light curves of these RIQs are briefly discussed in the context of a theoretical framework proposed earlier for linking this rare kind of quasars to the much better studied dominant classes of quasars.
We present the results of binary population simulations of carbon- and nitrogen-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP and NEMP) stars. We show that the observed paucity of very nitrogen-rich stars puts strong constraints on possible modifications of the initial mass function at low metallicity.
We develop a method to infer or rule out the presence of an atmosphere on a
tidally-locked hot super Earth. The question of atmosphere retention is a
fundamental one, especially for planets orbiting M stars due to the star's
long-duration active phase and corresponding potential for stellar-induced
planetary atmospheric escape and erosion. Tidally-locked planets with no
atmosphere are expected to show a Lambertian-like thermal phase curve, causing
the combined light of the planet-star system to vary with planet orbital phase.
We report Spitzer 8 micron IRAC observations of GJ 876 taken over 32
continuous hours and reaching a relative photometric precision of 3.9e-04 per
point for 25.6 s time sampling. This translates to a 3 sigma limit of 5.13e-05
on a planet thermal phase curve amplitude. Despite the almost photon-noise
limited data, we are unable to conclusively infer the presence of an atmosphere
or rule one out on the non-transiting short-period super Earth GJ 876d. The
limiting factor in our observations was the miniscule, monotonic photometric
variation of the slightly active host M star, because the partial sine wave due
to the planet has a component in common with the stellar linear trend. The
proposed method is nevertheless very promising for transiting hot super Earths
with the James Webb Space Telescope and is critical for establishing
observational constraints for atmospheric escape.
Analytic distribution functions (DFs) for the Galactic disc are discussed. The DFs depend on action variables and their predictions for observable quantities are explored under the assumption that the motion perpendicular to the Galactic plane is adiabatically invariant during motion within the plane. A promising family of DFs is defined that has several adjustable parameters. A standard DF is identified by adjusting these parameters to optimise fits to the stellar density in the column above the Sun, and to the velocity distribution of nearby stars and stars ~1 kpc above the Sun. The optimum parameters imply a radial structure for the disc which is consistent with photometric studies of the Milky Way and similar galaxies, and that 20 per cent of the disc's luminosity comes from thick disc. The fits suggest that the value of the V component of the Sun's peculiar velocity should be revised upwards from 5.2 km/s to ~11 km/s. It is argued that the standard DF provides a significantly more reliable way to divide solar-neighbourhood stars into members of the thin and thick discs than is currently used. The standard DF provides predictions for surveys of stars observed at any distance from the Sun. It is anticipated that DFs of the type discussed here will provide useful starting points for much more sophisticated chemo-dynamical models of the Milky Way.
The new era of software signal processing has had a large impact on radio astronomy instrumentation. Our design and implementation of a 32 antennae, 33 MHz, dual polarization, fully real-time software backend for the GMRT, using only off-the-self components, is an example of this. We have built a correlator and a beamformer, using PCI-based ADC cards, a Linux cluster of 48 nodes with dual gigabit inter-node connectivity for real-time data transfer requirements. The highly optimized compute pipelines uses cache efficient, multi-threaded parallel code, with the aid of vectorized processing. This backend allows flexibility in final time and frequency resolutions, and ability to implement algorithms for radio frequency interference rejection. Our approach has allowed relatively rapid development of a fairly sophisticated and flexible backend receiver system for the GMRT, which will greatly enhance the productivity of the telescope. In this paper we describe some of the first lights using this software processing pipeline. We believe this is the first instance of such a real-time observatory backend for an intermediate sized array like the GMRT.
Recent results are reported on Magnetic Fields in Clusters of Galaxies, Diffuse Radio Emission, and Radio - X-ray connection in Radio Halos.
We perform computer simulations of the accretion of pebbles and rocks onto protoplanets of a few hundred kilometers in radius, including two-way drag force coupling between particles and the protoplanetary disc gas. Particle streams interacting with the gas far out in the Hill sphere of the protoplanet spiral into a prograde circumplanetary disc. Material is accreted onto the protoplanet due to stirring by the turbulent surroundings. We speculate that the trend for prograde rotation among the largest asteroids is primordial and that protoplanets accreted 10%-50% of their mass from pebbles and rocks during the gaseous solar nebula phase. Our model offers an explanation for the narrow range of spin periods observed among the largest bodies in the asteroid and trans-Neptunian belts, and predicts that the 1000 km-scale Kuiper belt objects should preferentially spin in the prograde direction.
The stellar populations of galaxies contain a wealth of detailed information.
From the youngest, most massive stars, to almost invisible remnants, the
history of star formation is encoded in the stars that make up a galaxy.
Extracting some, or all, of this informationhas long been a goal of stellar
population studies. This was achieved in the last couple of decades and it is
now a routine task, which forms a crucial ingredient in much of observational
galaxy evolution, from our Galaxy out to the most distant systems found. In
many of these domains we are now limited not by sample size, but by systematic
uncertainties and this will increasingly be the case in the future.
The aim of this review is to outline the challenges faced by stellar
population studies in the coming decade within the context of upcoming
observational facilities. I will highlight the need to better understand the
near-IR spectral range and outline the difficulties presented by less well
understood phases of stellar evolution such as thermally pulsing AGB stars,
horizontal branch stars and the very first stars. The influence of rotation and
binarity on stellar population modeling is also briefly discussed.
We show that simple models of dynamical dark energy leave an all-scale enhancement in the weak-lensing power spectrum when compared to the LCDM prediction. In particular, we calculate the convergence (or cosmic-shear) power spectrum for two best-fit models of scalar-field dark energy, namely, the Ratra-Peebles and SUGRA-type quintessence. Our approach uses gauge-invariant variables, with carefully defined adiabatic initial conditions. Geometric effects enhance the lensing power spectrum on a broad range of scales, whilst the clustering of dark energy gives rise to additional power on large scales. The dark-energy power spectrum for these models are also explicitly obtained. On degree scales, the total enhancement may be as large as 30-40% for sources at redshift ~1. We argue that there are realistic prospects for detecting such an enhancement using the next generation of large telescopes.
We present observations of two new single-lined eclipsing binaries, both consisting of an Am star and an M-dwarf, discovered by the Wide Angle Search for Planets transit photometry survey. Using WASP photometry and spectroscopic measurements we find that HD186753B has an orbital period of $P=1.9194$ days, a mass of $M=0.24\pm0.02 M_{\odot}$ and radius of $R=0.31^{+0.06}_{-0.06} R_{\odot}$; and that TCY7096-222-1B has an orbital period of $P=8.9582$ days, a mass of between 0.29 and 0.54 $M_{\odot}$ depending on eccentricity and radius of $R=0.263^{+0.02}_{-0.07} R_{\odot}$. We find that the Am stars have relatively low rotational velocities that closely match the orbital velocities of the M-dwarfs, suggesting that they have been ``spun-down'' by the M-dwarfs.
During searches for new optical Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) in the high resolution, high sensitivity Anglo-Australian Observatory/United Kingdom Schmidt Telescope (AAO/UKST) HAlpha survey of the southern Galactic plane, we uncovered a variety of filamentary and more diffuse, extensive nebular structures in the vicinity of Wolf-Rayet (WR) star 48 (Theta Muscae), only some of which were previously recognised. We used the double-beam spectrograph of the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatory (MSSSO) 2.3-m to obtain low and mid resolution spectra of selected new filaments and structures in this region. Despite spectral similarities between the optical spectra of WR star shells and SNRs, a careful assessment of the new spectral and morphological evidence from our deep HAlpha imagery suggests that the putative shell of Theta Mus is not a WR shell at all, as has been commonly accepted, but is rather part of a more complex area of large-scale overlapping nebulosities in the general field of the WR star. The emission comprises a possible new optical supernova remnant and a likely series of complex H II regions. Finally, we present the intriguing detection of apparent collimated, directly opposing, ionized outflows close to Theta Mus itself which appears unique among such stars. Although possible artifacts or a temporary phenomenon monitoring of the star is recommended.
In this paper we examine the effect of X-ray and Lyalpha photons on the intergalactic medium temperature. We calculate the photon production from a population of stars and micro-quasars in a set of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations which self-consistently follow the dark matter dynamics, radiative processes as well as star formation, black hole growth and associated feedback processes. We find that, (i) IGM heating is always dominated by X-rays unless the Lyalpha photon contribution from stars in objects with mass M<10^8 Msun becomes significantly enhanced with respect to the X-ray contribution from BHs in the same halo (which we do not directly model). (ii) Without overproducing the unresolved X-ray background, the gas temperature becomes larger than the CMB temperature, and thus an associated 21 cm signal should be expected in emission, at z<11.5. We discuss how in such a scenario the transition redshift between a 21 cm signal in absorption and in emission could be used to constraint BHs accretion and associated feedback processes.
In the weak field limit general relativity reduces, as is well known, to the Newtonian gravitation. Alternative theories of gravity, however, do not necessarily reduce to Newtonian gravitation; some of them, for example, reduce to Yukawa-like potentials instead of the Newtonian potential. Since the Newtonian gravitation is largely used to model with success the structures of the universe, such as for example galaxies and clusters of galaxies, a way to probe and constrain alternative theories, in the weak field limit, is to apply them to model the structures of the universe. In the present study, we consider how to probe Yukawa-like potentials using N-body numerical simulations.
Aim: We establish the mean metallicity from high-resolution spectroscopy for the recently found dwarf spheroidal galaxy Bootes I and test whether it is a common feature for ultra-faint dwarf spheroidal galaxies to show signs of inhomogeneous chemical evolution (e.g. as found in the Hercules dwarf spheroidal galaxy). Methods: We analyse high-resolution, moderate signal-to-noise spectra for seven red giant stars in the Bootes I dSph galaxy using standard abundance analysis techniques. In particular, we assume local thermodynamic equilibrium and employ spherical model atmospheres and codes that take the sphericity of the star into account when calculating the elemental abundances. Results: We confirm previous determinations of the mean metallicity of the Bootes I dwarf spheroidal galaxy to be -2.3 dex. Whilst five stars are clustered around this metallicity, one is significantly more metal-poor, at -2.9 dex, and one is more metal-rich at, -1.9 dex. Additionally, we find that one of the stars, Boo-127, shows an atypically high [Mg/Ca] ratio, indicative of stochastic enrichment processes within the dSph galaxy. Similar results have previously only been found in the Hercules and Draco dSph galaxies and appear, so far, to be unique to this type of galaxy.
(Abridged) We have performed a comprehensive multiwavelength analysis of a sample of 20 starburst galaxies that show the presence of a substantial population of very young massive stars. In this paper, the second of the series, we present the results of the analysis of long-slit intermediate-resolution spectroscopy of star-formation bursts for 16 galaxies of our sample. We study the spatial localization of the WR stars in each galaxy. We analyze the excitation mechanism and derive the reddening coefficient, physical conditions and chemical abundances of the ionized gas. We study the kinematics of the ionized gas to check the rotation/turbulence pattern of each system. When possible, tentative estimates of the Keplerian mass of the galaxies have been calculated. Our analysis has revealed that a substantial fraction of the galaxies show evidences of perturbed kinematics. With respect to the results found in individual galaxies, we remark the detection of objects with different metallicity and decoupled kinematics in Haro 15 and Mkn 1199, the finding of evidences of tidal streams in IRAS 08208+2816, Tol 9 and perhaps in SBS 1319+579, and the development of a merging process in SBS 0926+606 A and in Tol 1457-262. All these results reinforce the hypothesis that interactions with or between dwarf objects is a very important mechanism in the triggering of massive star formation in starburst galaxies, specially in dwarf ones. It must be highlighted that only deep and very detailed observationscan provide clear evidences that these subtle interaction processes are taking place.
We find model-independent upper limits on rates of dark matter annihilation in galactic halos. The Born approximation generally fails, while exotic threshold enhancements akin to "Sommerfeld factors" also turn out to be baseless The most efficient annihilation mechanism involves perturbatively small decay widths that have largely been ignored. Widths that are very small compared to TeV mass scales suffice to effectively saturate unitarity bounds on annihilation rates. Bound state formation in weakly coupled theories produces small effects due to wave function normalizations. Unitarity shows the Sommerfeld factor cannot produce large changes in cross sections, and serves to identify where those approximations break down.
We study the hadron-quark phase transition with the finite size effects at finite temperature. For the hadron phase, we adopt a realistic equation of state in the framework of the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock theory including hyperons. The properties of the mixed phase are clarified by considering the finite size effects under the Gibbs conditions. We find that the equation of state becomes softer than that at zero-temperature for some density region. We also find that the equation of state gets closer to that given by the Maxwell construction. Moreover, the number of hyperons is suppressed by the presence of quarks. These are characteristic features of the hadron-quark mixed phase, and should be important for many astrophysical phenomena such as mergers of binary neutron stars.
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